Chapter 48 The Echo Beneath

• The air was colder here. It felt thin and sharp against his skin, as if the world were breathing without him.
• Something nearby was dripping water when Jared woke up, a slow rhythm that held him in place. The room had vanished. Dust, roots, and stone in its place. It didn't feel natural, but it might have been a cave. Veins of light pulsed faintly through the walls, resembling arteries.
• He sat up too quickly. The world slanted to one side. His hands shook. The marks remained deep into his arms. However, they were now different, with black streaks twining with gold lines that moved with each blink.