Chapter 55

• I sank into darkness, lost in a void without beginning or end. I had no idea how long I lay there unmoving, unknowing. The first sound to tear through the silence was the screech of metal grinding against stone, harsh and jarring. My body jerked at least I thought it did. I wasn't certain I could move of my own will. Then came the sensation of strong arms sliding beneath me, lifting me with care. I inhaled the scent of a summer storm, heavy and wild, tinged with the metallic sting of blood.
• “Thank you for your gift, my angel,” Gosto’s voice rumbled against my skin. His lips brushed my forehead, and in that moment, I realized something unsettling my skin was colder than his.
• I was trapped inside myself. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even open my eyes. All I could do was feel and it was all too much.