“My Lady!” Melva cried, rushing to her side as soon as she saw her on the ground, clutching her chest. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Melva helped her up while Althea scanned the room. “Someone’s here. I felt it!” she blurted.

She clearly felt that sudden surge of energy pulsed through her, sharp and heavy, as if unseen fingers were probing the very core of her inner power. It wasn’t like the usual stir of her magic—it felt foreign, invasive, almost testing her limits. ...