Amberine's heart stopped for a moment as Maris's voice cut through the din of battle.
"The student—she's waking up!"
Amberine shot a quick glance over her shoulder and felt the panic rising in her chest. The unconscious student, the one who had been caught in the disastrous ritual, was stirring. Her eyes fluttered open, wide with confusion and fear. If she woke up fully and panicked, her unstable magic could unleash something even more dangerous than the minotaur in front of them.
"Keep her down!" Amberine shouted, but her words were drowned out by the roar of the minotaur.
The massive beast, covered in singed fur from Amberine's flames, shook off the lingering heat and turned its glowing yellow eyes toward the student. Its heavy breathing filled the air, each exhale a gust of steam that made the air shimmer with heat. For a second, Amberine allowed herself to hope that the minotaur wouldn't notice the girl—that it would keep charging toward her and Elara.
