Chapter 24 Bonds Of Light And Shadow

• I existed in a space between worlds, suspended in crystalline light that pulsed with the rhythm of two hearts beating as one. The obsidian altar had become a nexus of power, and Prince Aldric and I floated within its embrace, our bodies transformed into conduits for energies older than kingdoms.
• Through the translucent shell of our prison, I could see Lord Cassius raging at his mages, his carefully orchestrated ritual crumbling around him. The binding circles that had once focused demonic power now blazed with protective light, their runes shifting from sickly green to brilliant silver.
• Can you hear me? Aldric's voice came not through my ears but directly into my consciousness, our soul bond amplified beyond anything we'd experienced before.