Cedar’s anger boiled over. He slapped her, the sting sharp against her cheek. Then again, and again. Each blow shattered something inside her, but she didn’t cry, didn’t flinch. She accepted the pain, earning it to kill the remaining love she had for him. Even as the room began to spin, she didn't fight back.
When he was done, he stood there, breathing hard, his eyes filled with disgust. “You’re evil. I'm regretting that day I met you. You're not the woman I fell in love with."
Lavender didn’t respond. She only stared at him, letting the hatred in her heart grow stronger.
Lavender stood still as the white smoke swirled around her, thick and otherworldly. It carried the faint scent of herbs and moonlight, wrapping her in its embrace. She closed her eyes, her senses heightened, her heart beating steadily. The air felt alive, humming with power, as if the forest itself were watching, waiting for her transformation.
Her skin prickled, a tingling sensation spreading from her fingertips to her toes. She felt every breath, every heartbeat, as if they were magnified a hundredfold.