Chapter 326: Blue-Haired Mage

Talia I first noticed her presence one night as I lay on the cold, cracked floor of the iron box that had become my prison. I heard the faint drip of water in the distance, even though the pipes had long since dried up. The air had changed too, cooling in a way that sent a shiver down my spine. I opened my eyes and saw her standing in the shadows—tall, cloaked, and strangely serene. “Wake up,” the strange woman said. I struggled to sit up and lean my back against the wall, sleep still heavy in my eyes. Instantly, I drew on the magic, just as Lucia had taught me, and breathed in the air, filling myself with strength. Perhaps she was here to torture me too, I thought, noting her peculiar appearance. Her hair was blue and cropped close to her head in a jagged, unkempt pixie cut. It was longer in the front, shorter at the back, sticking out strangely on both sides, making her look nothing short of mad. But her eyes—deep blue, like a vast ocean—held a depth that made me linger a little lo