Chapter 18 Echoes Of Fire

• The Queen’s Garden, once a place of peace, now shimmered with quiet power.
• Lucia stood at its center once again, barefoot in the circle of runes Abby had carefully drawn in chalk and salt. The air was dry, humming with energy, and the skies above threatened to burn rather than rain.
• Mirabelle stood at the perimeter, arms crossed, her brow furrowed in deep focus. Abby stood nearby with a damp cloth in hand, a precaution in case things turned volatile again.