Ezra woke up still hanging from the ceiling, his hands tied above his head. The pain hit him all at once. The empty cavity where his heart should be dripped blood to the floor.
He exhaled as his blood, some of which had dried over his open wounds and pooled on the floor, began to stir. It came alive, flowing back into him, defying gravity and logic. The crimson liquid seeped into his skin, driven by an unseen force.
The blood traveled through his veins, reaching the depths of his being, entering Valaren's cage within him. The chains binding the dragon began to loosen, slowly dissolving into pure vitality. This energy flowed into Valaren, awakening her fully. She began to emit an overwhelming amount of vitality, and Ezra felt it coursing through him, their essences merging in a harmonious flood.
