GABRIEL
The cell door slammed shut behind me, and the sound rang through the stone walls like a final judgment. I stood there for a moment, hands clenched at my sides, trying to ground myself in the cold bite of the floor beneath my bare feet. Blood still dripped from my nose, warm and sticky as it trailed over my lips.
My body didn't feel like mine anymore, even though I had regained a lot of control back, thanks to that girl's gifts.
But I could still feel him there, lurking just beneath the surface of my thoughts. Aldric. My brother. The presence pressed against the inside of my skull, patient and deliberate, like he was waiting for me to slip.
I moved to the far corner of the cell and sank down against the wall, resting my head back against the stone. The impact sent a dull throb through my skull, but I welcomed it. Pain meant I was still here. Still fighting.
"You cannot keep this up forever, Gabriel."
