Chapter 64 Mystery Poison

Chapter 64 Mystery Poison

Sera's Pov

I stared at the vial in Tobias's hand for several moments, my eyes fixed on the silver liquid swirling inside the glass. Nobody rushed me for an answer. The strange substance caught the lantern light whenever Tobias shifted his grip, making it shimmer in a way I didn't trust at all.

"Why does it look like that?" I asked.

Tobias released a long sigh. "Because it contains silver."

My entire body tensed. "Absolutely not."

I took a step back, staring at him as though he'd completely lost his mind.

"You're asking me to drink silver?"

"A refined form of it."

"That doesn't make it sound and maybe taste any better."

I pointed a finger at him. "You're supposed to be on my side."

"I am on your side," he replied, still amused.

Maera pinched the bridge of her nose. "We don't have time for this."

I folded my arms, then winced as pain flared beneath the glowing markings on my skin. My gaze dropped immediately. The lines had crept even farther, stretching toward my shoulders now. A knot formed in my stomach.

Damien noticed first. "It's spreading."

Maera stepped closer and held my gaze. "Sera, do you trust me?"

I looked at her. Of everyone standing here, she had pushed me the hardest, and refused to let me give up on myself even when I wanted to. She annoyed me more often than I cared to admit, but I trusted her.

"Yes."

Her expression softened slightly. "Then listen carefully. This won't cure anything. It won't solve the mate bond problem, and it won't stop the Blood Moon from coming."

I groaned. "Does it do anything useful at all?"

A faint smile appeared on her face. "It buys us time and right now? That's luxury."

That was what everyone had been fighting for from the beginning. More time for training. More time to understand my powers. Even my father sacrificed his life to buy me more time. More time before I was forced to make a choice that seemed to grow heavier every single day.

I looked around the chamber. Caden was awake now, though still pale from blood loss, leaning heavily against the wall. Damien stood nearby, watching me with concern he wasn't bothering to hide.

Everybody was tired and afraid. Yet somehow they were all still here because of me. That realization settled heavily in my chest.

I released a slow breath. "Fine. I will take it.” I rolled my eyes.

Relief swept through the room almost immediately.

"Don't look so happy," I muttered.

Tobias handed me the vial. The glass felt cold against my palm.

"This better not kill me."

"It won't."

I pulled the cork free. The smell hit me instantly, sharp and bitter enough to make me regret every decision that had brought me here.

"Oh, that's horrible."

"Drink it," Tobias said.

"You're remarkably bossy for somebody handing me mystery poison."
Before I could change my mind, I tipped the vial back and swallowed.

The liquid burned all the way down. My eyes watered immediately.

"Oh, that is disgusting."

A strange warmth slowly spread through my chest, easing outward through the rest of my body. It wasn't painful. It wasn't overwhelming. For the first time in days, the power inside me wasn't clawing at everything around it like the pressure eased. My breathing steadied, even the marks dimmed.

I looked down at my arms in disbelief.

The silver lines were still there, but they no longer felt aggressive or restless. They had gone quiet, I felt like I could actually think.

Then a horn echoed through the tunnels.
Every face in the chamber changed instantly.

Terry's hand moved to his weapon. Maera turned toward the entrance.

A knot formed in my stomach.

"What now?"

"The outer scouts." Maera answered.

My pulse quickened. "What about them?"

She looked directly at me. "They found tracks."