Chapter 49
- "You still don’t get it, do you?" Valen's voice slid through the dark, sending a chill straight to my core. I could feel him standing just beyond the edge of the flickering light, the weight of his presence pressing in on me. The room was silent, save for the distant hum of the machinery and the pounding of my own heart in my chest.
- I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath. "What are you talking about, Valen?" I demanded, my voice shaking but determined. "Why are you doing this?"
- His laughter came low, almost a sneer. "Oh, Ava, always playing the hero. You think this is about me? About power?" He stepped forward into the dim light, his eyes gleaming with something dark and dangerous. "No, this is about you. About your future."