Sylvia opened her eyes fully.
Her cold red pupils blazed sharply in the darkness of the healing chamber, like two fresh blood embers just ignited. For a moment, the entire room seemed to hold its breath. The aura of darkness that had been swirling slowly around the black stone altar now exploded with fresh power, sweeping across the castle walls and making the rune candles flicker wildly. The Chains of Abyss around her wrists and ankles rattled louder, as if welcoming their master's return. Clink… clank… clink.
"…They dared," Sylvia muttered. Her voice was still hoarse from ten nights of unconsciousness, but the cold, authoritative tone had fully returned.
She pushed herself up slowly. Her long black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of dark silk. The thin silk cloth wrapped around her body shifted gently, revealing pale skin that had healed completely, without a single scar.
