Chapter 290. Vel’sothar

Raina’s POV

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. My heart hammered, fast and panicked, as I clutched the flickering ember still burning in my left palm. It pulsed weakly, as if exhausted by its effort to stay alive.

I lifted my head to see the darkness shifting with movements. Thick tendrils of shadow coiled back from me, hissing with rage, leaving me in the shallow, green mist.

Now what?

The air was so thick and heavy, like breathing through acid smoke and sorrow. Its murkiness leaked with the strong scent of burned myrrh and old ashes. It clung to my nose as if grief had an unforgettable smell.

Another day in another cursed paradise, I scoffed to myself.

“Raina, get moving,” Luna Sianna prodded, her voice a drifting whisper in my head. “There’s not a minute to waste.”

As I scrambled to my feet, I glanced around. My lips parted, breath shallow. The eeriness of the place crawled over my skin like cold fingers.

“But I don’t know w