Eleanor's POV
Moments later, When I had poured out every word in a frantic, unbroken stream. I told her everything. The voice that spoke only to me, its ancient promises and terrible threats. The creatures of the underworld, the claim that I was a "vessel," the ultimatum about the final race. The revelation that my own family's dark legacy was the engine behind the cursed track I'd come to love.
By the time I had finished, my hands were clenched into fists in my lap.
Dr. Chloe was pale, her sharp features slack with a shock so profound it looked like physical pain. She'd gone utterly still. The color had drained from her face, leaving her looking hollow. Her reaction was far more extreme than I'd anticipated.
Now, we are in her workshop.
"Sit," she commanded, her voice devoid of its usual bite, replaced by a grim focus. She pointed to the bare floor.
I obeyed, crossing my legs beneath me.
