[Novel undergoing editing]
The staircase spiraled down into darkness, but the faint glow from the zodiac tiles above clung to the walls like distant stars. Verena's grip on Vivienne's hand tightened—not just for balance, but a quiet reassurance. Even if the girl was a walking disaster zone, she wasn't about to leave her behind.
At the bottom, the chamber opened up into a vast cavern, lit by ethereal blue light radiating from crystal clusters embedded in the walls. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and magic simmering just beneath the surface.
Isolde smirked. "Welcome to the Heart of the Labyrinth. This is where things get really interesting."
Verena raised an eyebrow. "Heart of the Labyrinth? Sounds like a bad romance novel title."
Vivienne peeked around nervously. "So, what's the trial?"
