Chapter 34 · Blood Resonance

"Stop it! Julian, stop this right now!"

Viviane’s voice cracked, a raw, jagged sound that tore through the ritual chamber. She wasn't just screaming; she was fighting her own body. Her fingers clawed into the stone altar, nails bleeding, trying to drag herself toward Silas. But Julian’s will held her back like invisible chains, snapping her shoulders tight.

Silas couldn't answer. He couldn't even scream. His chest felt like it was being opened by a rusted saw. The soul-extraction wasn't a clean pull—it was a shredding. Every breath tasted like copper and ozone. Violet light shimmered around him, thick and sickening.

"Look at him, Viviane," Julian whispered. He stepped closer, boots clicking on the marble. "Look at how beautifully he breaks. This is the purity of the pact. It doesn't just bind your lives; it fuses your agonies."

"I'll kill you," Viviane spat. Her eyes were wild, bloodshot. "I'll rip your heart out the second I get my hands on you."

Julian laughed. A short, dry sound. "You’ll have to find your hands first. Right now, you’re just the battery. Your love, your guilt—it’s the perfect grease for my machine."

He reached out. His fingers hovered inches from Silas’s forehead.