Chapter 49 A Life Besides Mine

• The next morning, as early as possible, the witches gathered again, their faces impassive as always, their eyes holding no emotion.
• The arena, which had been a forest then turned a vast open space. The very air around us warping and changing. How do they even do this? A strange energy pulsed through the ground, making the hairs on my arms stand on end. Everyone felt the chill.
• "The next trial," the lead witch announced, her voice echoing in the transformed space, "will test your empathy. Your ability to connect with others, to understand their pain, and to make the choices they could not."