#ChapterThink.

Violet Time seemed to slow. My voice echoed through the area. His hand was raised, reading toward the pillar that was emitting a swirling white light. He was too close. It was drawing him in. I could feel it but I ran faster, launching myself at him. "No!" I slammed into him, my full weight knocking him away. His breath left him in a sharp oof as we hit the ground together, but before he could even ask or gain his bearings, I was already scrambling to my feet, yanking him with me. "Violet, what--" “Move!” I hissed, shoving him further back, away from the stone. Theodore shook his head, blinking rapidly as if snapping out of a daze. I could hear his pulse thundering in his chest. Maybe it was my heart racing and pounding. He hadn’t even realized—hadn’t noticed—that something had been pulling him in. The stone. The castle. The magic. I had to get him out of here. Had to get him as far away from the main stone as possible even as I could feel it reaching out to me too. A