(Cora POV)
The faint light of the fire sparkled against the aged wooden walls of the elder's cottage. It was near 9:00 PM; the world outside was already lost to darkness, while inside, a weighty pressure consumed the space. I could hear each break of the fire and each shift of Liam close to me as we sat facing the elder. The fragrance of devouring wood mingled in with spices dangling from the rafters caused the place to feel both old and energized, like we had walked into an alternate world.
The elder's eyes, keen and penetrating given his age, drilled into mine as though he could see everything, my feelings of fear, my questions, the power I honestly didn't entirely have any notion of. He hadn't said a lot yet; simply let the quiet stretch between us. However, I felt he was going to un
