The world came back to me in a rush of pain and pressure, like waking from a dream underwater. My chest heaved as the Mirror’s pulse slammed through me, threads of magic writhing under my skin, coiling tight around my nerves. The shadows hadn’t waited. They were already moving, the fractured network of black and silver tendrils slithering toward me, a pulse behind their motion that felt almost sentient. I could feel each fragment’s hesitation, each shard of consciousness resisting yet drawn to the chaos.
Jax’s hands found mine immediately, anchoring me, warmth searing through the cold metal taste of adrenaline. “Sage.” He murmured, forehead pressing to mine. “I’m here. Don’t let go.”
I clenched my eyes shut and drew a breath, letting him anchor me. His heartbeat, steady and solid, thudde
