_Kael's POV_
Morana worked in complete silence.
Her cabin was dim. It was lit only by the flickering flames of tall black candles. The shutters were closed, and the scent of sage, iron, and old ash filled the air. It clung to my throat.
I stood near the door, watching her move around her space. She was fast and efficient. She was pulling vials, bones, herbs, and powders from high shelves. Her hands didn’t tremble. She moved like someone who had done this a thousand times before....but there was a tension in her shoulders she couldn’t hide.
Finally, she turned to me. "I’ll need more of your blood."
I frowned. "Again?"
She looked me dead in the eye. “Yes. If you want to survive what we’re walking into.”
Valric stirred in my chest. We don’t like this. Her magic stinks of old things. D
