The moment the surge hits, I run. I don’t think. I don’t breathe, I move. Branches whip against my arms as I tear through the woods, Dad right behind me. The bond is a live wire under my skin, burning, frantic, pulling me toward Raven with a force that borders on pain. She’s scared. She’s overwhelmed. She’s losing control. And something else is there too, something dark, watching her. We break through the tree line just in time to see a hooded figure at the edge of the market. Tall. Still. Face hidden. It turns its head toward Raven’s booth… then vanishes between the trees like smoke.
Dad curses under his breath. “Did you see...?”
“Yeah.” My voice is raw. “I saw.”
We don’t waste another second. We sprint across the market, weaving through overturned crates and scattered produce. People
