Whoever this dark magician was, whether they were intentionally performing their magic nearby or not, Vyan wasn't sure, nor did he care. What mattered was, it was fucking killing him over here.
He staggered out of bed, stumbling toward the door. He had to get out of there. At least, the ballroom would be better than here.
But his vision blurred, and his legs felt like they were turning to lead.
Each breath came shorter, more labored, like his lungs were fighting to fill themselves. His hand reached out for the doorknob, but the room spun around him, tilting and twisting in a way that made his head throb.
"Not... yet," Vyan choked out, fingers grazing the cool metal of the door handle. Darkness swallowed his vision for a moment, and his knees collapsed to the floor.
Just then, the door opened.
