Chapter 80
Ariana stopped walking without realizing it.
One moment she had been moving forward, trying to stay focused on what she needed to do next. The next, something hit her chest hard enough to make her lose her breath. It wasn't physical, but it felt real enough that her body reacted immediately. She pressed her hand against her chest and took a step back, trying to steady herself as her breathing turned uneven.
The feeling didn't go away.
Instead, it stayed and slowly spread, tightening in a way that made it harder to breathe properly. Ariana had felt pain before, but this was different. It didn't come from an injury, and it didn't feel like her own power reacting. It felt like something had reached her from somewhere else.
She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to focus.Instinctively, she reached for the bond.There was still nothing there.
