The instant Sam and Ashley vanished into the crack, the floor sealed shut—smooth, seamless crystal like it had never been broken. Their scents were gone. Erased.
I didn’t think. Couldn’t.
Storm roared inside me, claws digging into the stone as I launched forward. The black flames around Zack shimmered violently with every step I took, Kieran’s gaze fixed on me like I was walking straight into the palm of his hand.
The path to him wasn’t open ground—it was a gauntlet.
The first trap triggered when my front paw struck a green-veined plate. Crystal spears shot up in an instant, hissing with molten edges. I twisted mid-air, barely clearing them, the heat scorching my fur.
Two shadows detached from the walls ahead—humanoid in shape, but their faces were nothing but voids. Their claws were
