Just as my fingertips brushed the edge of the swirling light, the door creaked open behind me.
The sound broke whatever hold the lullaby had on me.
In a blink, the blue shimmer vanished. The air around me returned to stillness, and the warmth that had wrapped around me disappeared like it was never there.
I stood frozen, my hand still reaching forward.
Something inside me churned. My chest felt heavy, like I had lost something important, even though I wasn't sure what it was. The room felt colder and emptier.
Slowly, I turned around.
Damon stood by the door, watching me. His eyes weren't angry… but they weren't soft either. It was a look I couldn't understand, like he wanted to say something but didn't know how.
Neither of us spoke for a while. My heart was still racing, trying to hold on to what I had just seen or felt. I wasn't even sure it was real anymore.
Then his voice broke the silence. It was calm and steady. "I released Caroline and Lydia."
