I didn't need to. I could feel the weight of my eyes on me, whispers curling like smoke around my spine.
The word Magic Void rang in my ears like a curse.
I was halfway down the hallway when Valeen's voice chased after me. "Athena."
I stopped. The air seemed to thicken between us. My hands clenched at my sides as I turned to face him.
He stood there, calm as ever, arms folded over his chest, face unreadable. "You're letting your emotions block you. That's why it's not working."
My lips curled before I could stop them. "Block me?" I laughed, sharp and bitter. "You think this is about emotions?"
He stepped forward, his voice low and firm. "I think you're capable of far more than you let yourself believe. But if you keep resisting the process—"
"Process?" I snapped. My voice echoed down the hall, sharp as broken glass. "I'm stuck in a world that isn't mine, surrounded by people who either mock me or study me like I'm some broken toy. You call this a process?"
