The wind stilled. Even the horses snorted uneasily, sensing the sudden tension that rippled through the air. Jay's jaw clenched, though his face remained composed.
"Explain," he said quietly.
The sorcerer's gaze turned distant, as though seeing through time itself.
"You touched what should never have existed in this timeline. You bound yourself to a soul that no longer belonged here and in doing so, you fractured the thread that holds destiny together."
Enrick looked between them, utterly lost. "What nonsense is this?"
But Jay didn't speak. His heart gave one hard, heavy thud in his chest. Because deep down, he knew exactly what the sorcerer meant.
"Is this nonsense or a curse?" Jay's voice cut through the cold air, low but heavy with warning.
"I am not jesting, Duke," the white-haired sorcerer replied, unflinching despite the sharp gaze directed at him.
