>>Aelin
When I unlocked the door and pulled it open, the silence outside was almost louder than the banging had been. The hallway was empty, a yawning stretch of cold stone bathed in flickering light from the sconces on the walls.
No one was there.
My gaze fell to the door, now nearly unrecognizable. Deep claw marks gouged the metal, jagged and sharp as though an animal—or something worse—had torn into it with unrestrained force. The edges of the frame were warped, scorched by what must have been a blast of magic. The heat had melted parts of the door, leaving it sagging and brittle, as if just one more hit would have shattered it completely.
I stepped back, my heart pounding against the emptiness I'd felt only moments ago. My mind raced. Why would Draegon cause such destruction just to reach me? What did he want from me?
That's when I saw it.
