The smile was wrong.
Everything about it was wrong.
It stretched across the crack in reality above the mountain—not attached to a face Midnight could fully understand, not attached to a body her mind could comprehend.
Just a smile.
Ancient.
Patient.
Hungry.
The moment Midnight looked at it, pain exploded behind her eyes.
She staggered.
Kael caught her instantly.
"Don't look at it."
Too late.
The thing beyond the sky had already noticed her.
The pressure in the cavern doubled.
The abyss screamed.
Not metaphorically.
Actually screamed.
The throne beneath them roared in agony as silver light exploded across the mountain.
The Hollow King dropped fully to both knees.
Malakar's face went pale.
Lucien was openly shaking.
And Midnight—
Midnight heard laughter.
Not from the c
