Chapter 55 - Void binder

The palace felt different now. It was like the walls had ears and were listening to every step I took. Every hallway seemed to watch me. Every old painting looked like it was judging me. Three days after the Wraith turned into smoke and disappeared, the air still tasted a little like winning. It was sharp and sweet, like biting into fresh fruit after a long day. My silver marks glowed steadily on my skin. They beat in time with the ten heartbeats I could feel inside me. That golden feeling from the bond made everything warm and strong. Even the toughest guards looked away when I walked by because my sweet smell filled the air so much. We had beaten the mirror monster. We had chosen each other over and over until choosing felt easy, like breathing. But something in the quiet parts of the palace kept pulling at me. A small cold spot in all the warmth. Like someone left a window open during winter.