Raya didn't realize she was shaking until she saw the leaves trembling beneath her fingers. Her entire arm glowed faintly, thin silver lines crawling up from her wrist like living veins.
"What's… happening to me?" she whispered.
The forest didn't answer. It only held its breath.
Eren approached slowly, as if afraid she would shatter. His silver eyes flicked to her mark—then widened.
"It's spreading faster than I expected."
Raya's heart jumped. "Is that bad?"
Eren didn't answer immediately. That alone terrified her more than anything else.
He knelt in front of her, gently taking her arm despite the pulse of heat radiating from it.
"Your flame is evolving. It's stabilizing, but it also means…" He swallowed hard.
"The Sovereign's influence is growing."
Raya felt the world tilt. "He's… pulling me?"
"Trying to. The stronger your flame grows, the stronger his bond becomes."
Raya staggered backward.
"No—no, I don't want him in me. I don't want his voice, his touch, his—"
She stopped, breath catching.
Because a soft whisper brushed the back of her thoughts:
Little flame… you tremble beautifully.
Her lips parted, terror tightening her throat.
"Eren… he's inside my mind."
Eren stood sharply, blade drawn, though it was useless against a voice.
Raya pressed her palms to her ears.
"Get out! GET OUT!"
Silver light exploded from her skin—violent, uncontrolled. The trees around them bent as though a storm had punched through the clearing.
Eren shielded her.
"Raya, breathe! Focus on me!"
But she couldn't.
The Sovereign's voice slid deeper, curling around her mind like smoke.
You burn for me. You always have.
Her mark flared—white-hot, blinding.
Raya screamed—
Then suddenly…
Silence.
The forest went still. Too still.
Eren grabbed her shoulders.
"Raya. Look at me."
She opened her eyes, trembling.
"Eren… I felt him. Not just his voice. His presence. Like he was standing over me."
Eren exhaled shakily, jaw clenched.
"He's getting closer."
Raya hugged herself.
"What does he want so badly?"
"He wants what he thinks belongs to him."
"And what is that?"
Eren hesitated.
"…you."
Raya's breath faltered.
"But why me? Why not someone willing?"
Eren looked away.
"There's someone who knows," he finally said.
"Someone old. Someone who kept records even the Sovereign tried to destroy."
Raya blinked. "Who?"
Eren extended a hand.
"Come. I'm taking you to the Mark Keeper."