"Vivian!"
I rushed to her side the moment I saw her on the floor. She was crouched low, arms wrapped around herself, trembling as if something inside her was being torn apart.
"Seraphina…" Her hand reached for me, shaking badly. "It hurts. It's too painful. It just... suddenly started hurting."
I grabbed her hand at once.
It was cold. Too cold.
"Where?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady.
She shook her head weakly. "I don't know. Everywhere. My chest… my blood… it feels wrong."
Lucian, Auren, and Thalor were already at the doorway.
Vivian let out a broken gasp, her body curling even tighter. "I don't want this. I don't want to be a fairy. I never wanted to be one…" Her voice cracked. "I think this is my punishment."
My grip tightened around her hand.
"Nonsense. No one is punishing you," I said quickly, even as fear crept into my chest. "You didn't do anything to deserve this."
But the air felt heavy, pressured, like deep water closing in.
