The silence that followed was almost suffocating. For a fleeting moment, I could hear only the faint crackling of the torches mounted on the walls. The elders' faces turned pale, their eyes wide with disbelief as if they had just seen a ghost rise from the ashes.
"You…" one of them began, his voice trembling with disbelief. "You were supposed to be dead. You threw yourself off the cliff."
"Indeed, I did," I said softly, my eyes never leaving Elder Dominic's. "But death had other plans."
A ripple of murmurs filled the room. They whispered among themselves like frightened hens, words blending into one another:
"Impossible,"
"Unnatural,"
"Cursed." I almost laughed.
Damon looked at me as though the world had stopped spinning. His lips parted slightly, his chest rising and falling faster than usual. His gaze softened, a glint of awe shining in his eyes. It was as though he couldn't decide whether to reach for me and pull me into a hug or remain in his chair.
