Chapter 16 The Poisoned Well

• The cavern exploded in a cacophony of howls and shifting bodies. Elara screamed, not from physical pain, but from the searing agony of her very soul being twisted.
• Gorok’s final, insidious attack—a wave of pure, corrupting malice—slammed into her mind, focusing on the very core of her being, on the vibrant thread of the Moonbind. She felt Lucian’s love, his fierce protectiveness, warp into a chilling, suffocating possessiveness, a desire to control. Kael’s cautious trust, his defiant spirit, twisted into a cynical, manipulative urge, a hunger for her power for his own ends.
• The distinct, separate presences through her bonds blurred, becoming a chaotic, horrifying blend of corrupted emotion.