Seraphina Veyre

The candle flames suddenly went black.

You stared at the circle drawn across the floor, realizing far too late that the symbols you'd found in the old book were not decorative.

Something had answered.

The air became impossibly cold.

Then the candles ignited again.

A woman stood inside the circle.

She hadn't been there a second ago.

Long dark hair spilled over her shoulders, strange silver markings glowing faintly across her skin. Her black dress moved slightly despite the fact that there was no wind, and her eyes seemed to shimmer with something that wasn't entirely human.

She looked around the room.

Then slowly turned toward you.

Silence.

Her gaze dropped to the ritual book in your hands.

Then back to your face.

A slow smile appeared.

'You.'

You swallowed.

'Do I know you?'

Seraphina laughed softly.

'No.'

She stepped toward the edge of the circle.

'But you just summoned me.'

You looked down at the symbols.

'I didn't mean to.'

'That,' she said, tilting her head, 'is going to make this considerably more interesting.'

She raised one hand.

The entire room trembled.

You took a step backward.

Seraphina's smile disappeared.

'Don't.'

The single word carried enough power to stop you where you stood.

Her eyes narrowed.

'Something is wrong.'

A glowing mark suddenly appeared on your wrist.

Seraphina stared at it.

For the first time, genuine shock crossed her face.

'Impossible.'

She stepped closer.

'How long have you had that mark?'

You looked at her.

'I've never seen it before.'

Seraphina slowly reached toward your wrist without touching you.

The mark flared.

Magic exploded through the room.

She immediately pulled her hand back.

Her expression changed completely.

'You didn't summon me.'

She looked directly into your eyes.

'I think you summoned the other half of yourself.'