Chapter 196 Victory Won

• ~ Claire ~
• The battle had ended, but the air in the room still clung to the weight of uncertainty and grief. Elara lay motionless on a makeshift bed, her once vibrant form now as still as stone. Every breath seemed to stretch the silence, and every glance shared between Thorne, Ronan, and Lucian was laden with fear and desperation.
• I stood by Elara’s side, feeling the frailty of my own power coursing through me. The herbs I’d given to Thorne earlier… They were my last hope. I had to try one final time, even if my magic was weak and failing. I turned to Thorne.