With a gasp, Hazel bit her lip, the sharp sting of pain breaking the hypnotic tether for a fleeting second. She didn't pull away—you couldn't pull away from a shadow. Instead, she leaned in. She closed her eyes, refusing to feed the visual loop, and focused on the warmth of her own blood.
: Often associated with wisdom, protection, and divination in various cultural and mystical traditions, hazel is a name and a term that carries a weight of ancient lore. In Celtic mythology, the hazel tree is linked with wisdom and protection, growing near sacred wells and embodying the knowledge and power of the water.