The Final Preparations

The heavy oak door of my bedroom clicked shut behind me, but my father’s brutal warning still echoed in my ears. *That necklace is a weapon.* The emerald pendant rested against my bare collarbone, radiating a steady, pulsing heat that seeped directly into my skin. I took a slow breath, trying to steady my racing heart, and turned around.

Magnus stood by the window, a silent shadow guarding my sa