Slowly, Faye opened her eyes to see that the fiery blade had extinguished itself, and all the strange markings and scales that had appeared on Sterling's body were gone.
He stood speechless and in awe, gazing at Faye. She sat up and cautiously surveyed her surroundings. Every living thing was still frozen, as if encased in ice. It was mesmerizing. There was no sound except for Sterling's labored breathing and the pounding of her own heart in her ears.
The Duke gazed at his delicate wife, puzzled by what she had done. His eyes had returned to their natural red color. He quickly sheathed his sword and dropped to his knees before her.
Sterling held onto her shoulders and checked to ensure she was not injured. He then took her palm and scrutinized it. The Duke had assumed that she had lost her hand after he had struck her with his sword, as he was in full swing when it fell.
