Claws of Deceit

a sense of trepidation, as if she was standing on t

ain, her voice firm despite the

hecy, Ava," he said, his eyes glinting with intensity. "A proph

ssed Kai's words. A prophecy?

s you think Ava is this guardian

ower inside her that she doesn't even know about yet," he said,

ough Ava's entire being. She felt like she was drowning in a

her voice barely above a whi

at and powerful guardian," he said, his eyes glinting with an otherworldly inten

essed Kai's words. Control re

pect us to believe that Ava is this guardian

Lyra," he said, his eyes locked onto Ava's. "But Ava will soon discover the

electric tension. She felt a strange, pulsating energy b

the ground. Her body began to glow with a soft, ethereal light, and her senses

secret that no one else did. "It's starting," he whispered, h

f she was afraid of Ava's newfound power. Elijah and Ryder e

o her?" Lyra asked,

d, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity. "And when she's

cellar and casting eerie shadows on the walls. Her energy pu

to a vortex of colors and lights. She heard whispers and echoes,

ds echoing in Ava's mind. "Embrace it, Ava

d a crescendo. Her mind expanded, and she saw visions of ancient civi

everything

r, her head throbbing with a dull ache. Lyra and Elijah

me?" Lyra asked,

dry. "What...what hap

had some kind of...episode," he sai

ho was watching her with an

a whispered, her v

narrowed in suspicion. "Don't believe a word h

ow furrowed in confusion. "

," he said. "He wants us to think he's on our side, but r

"Why would you think t

efore," he said. "They'll say anything to get what they w

with anger. "Is that t

just trying to help you underst

Ava's mind. Was Kai really trying to help them,

ce firm. "We're getting out of here,

nd he snapped his fingers. The sound of locks

hey were trapped. "You fool," Ryde

"You should have taken my offer when you had the

"What do you want from

is eyes locked onto Ava. "I want to help Ava unlock her tr

h anger. "We'll never let

ing chills down Ava's spine. "We'll see about

d walked away, leaving the g

t's going on here?" she asked, her voice low and urgen

ing it out of the goodness of his

ith Kai. "He says it's because I have a crucial r

?" she asked. "If he's not getting anything out o

e's not telling us the whole truth," he said

ed to be careful around Kai. He's hiding som

ns. What did Kai really want from

echoed outside the cellar door. T