The creature was gone, but the air still crackled with the energy it left behind. My body felt heavy, like I had just sprinted miles without stopping.
Cairon hadn't let go of my arm. His grip was steady, grounding. "You passed the test," he said, his voice unreadable. "But what did it mean?"
I shook my head, trying to slow my racing thoughts. "I don't know yet." The words felt hollow even as I said them.
Because I did know.
Or at least, I had an idea.
The Codex wasn't just a book of knowledge—it was alive in a way I hadn't fully grasped before. It didn't just hold power. It tested those who sought to wield it, pushing them, breaking them, until they proved themselves worthy.
And I had barely scratched the surface.
Cairon finally released my arm, but his golden eyes didn't leave mine. "We should keep moving."
I nodded, unwilling to linger here any longer.
