Lila’s POV
The world snapped back into focus so violently I gasped, my body jerking forward. Joan’s hands were still gripping mine, her eyes wide with alarm. The candle had gone out, and the water in the bowl had turned black.
And Jeile stood in the doorway.
Her eyes were no longer the casual brown I’d grown used to, but they glowed faintly with an amber light that made my skin crawl. The air around her was filled with heat, and I could smell it now the sharp, acrid scent of old magic.
“What the hell is going on here?” she repeated, although I knew she knew.
Joan moved first, stepping in front of me, but her hands were shaking. “Jeile, this isn’t….”
“Save it.” Jeile’s gaze went over the chalk marks, the candles, and the blackened water. She looked disgusted. “A revealing ritual? Rea
