‘Now, now, princess – do try to play nice. This isn’t the right … situation for your hand to be around my neck.’

Sapphire yanked her arm back.

The air was tense around them as Ashes began walking in the direction of the barrier again. Sapphire stumbled as the feeling hit her once more, but this time she was prepared. She forced her shoulders back, taking stride after stride.

As they grew closer, the pain in her chest expanded into her stomach, and she bent forward, biting her tongue till it bled. She would not fall. She would not fail. Not now. Not in front of her.

Sapphire heard it before she saw it, the hum of magic filling the air. It reminded her of a time before the fall of Witrotean when the warm summer breeze would fill the Home and they would dance to the chatter of the insects.

But unlike those nights, this sound made her freeze in fear and double over in pain.

An unprecedented amount of magic slammed into her at once. She could feel it in the marrow of her bones, a thick lead lining her chest and threatening to smother her.

A warning. A warning that sounded with every step she took.

That’s when the treeline thinned out and it came into view.

A brilliant blue wall touched the sky. It glowed, unwavering in its looming presence. She stepped closer and the pulse grew. Her vision was spotted as she stared up at it, and her entire body felt raw and exposed.

It was terrible. It was incredible. It was everything she feared and everything she longed for. The magic inside her came to life, buzzing and brilliant. It was unbridled, inescapable. Her body screamed in protest, warning her to run. But her magic … her magic urged her forward.

Like calls to like, child.

Ashes remained only a few steps away, eyeing her closely. Sweat had broken out on Sapphire’s brow, and her movements were laboured as she fought to stay upright.

She took another step towards the barrier and lost her vision entirely, the darkness terrifying. But she had never been able to see her magic more clearly – streaking out before her like tethers leading her towards where she needed to go.

Her blood drummed in her ears as she took another step, her legs shaking. Her body sent warning signs, begging her to step away, but she couldn’t – like a moth to a flame, she needed whatever the barrier could offer her.

Her magic swelled inside her, her fingertips aching for release. Her chest rose and fell with the thrum of power that filled her core. It pleaded to be freed. It demanded to be allowed to take control.