I had expected something dramatic.
Chanting. Light bursting everywhere or maybe glowing symbols or pain.
Instead, Vivian sat quietly on the floor, the small bottle cradled in her palm like it might break if she held it too tightly.
"How to use it?" I asked weakly. "You just… pour it?"
Vivian gave a breathless laugh. "I wish it were that easy."
She uncorked the bottle carefully. Inside, the liquid shimmered faintly, not too bright, not blinding. Just warm. Like sunlight trapped in glass.
"No tricks," she said. "No spells. Just focus. Calm your mind and think about staying alive."
She let a single drop touch her finger, then pressed it against her chest.
For a moment, nothing happened.
My heart sank.
Then the glow spread slowly beneath her skin, soft and gentle. Thin lines of light branched out like veins. The trembling in her hands eased. Her breathing steadied.
