Pain exploded before thought. My chest tightened, lungs burning, every nerve screaming. The shadow inside me pulsed violently, alive, mocking. Fear twisted sharply in my gut. It’s not over. It never ends.
Vorde’s hand on mine grounded me, but it trembled, too. His blue eyes, fierce and raw, locked onto mine. “Veronica, stay with me. Don’t let it.” His voice broke, loaded with pride, fear, and something unspoken. Something softer. Trust. My chest ached with it. I can’t fail him. Not now.
I clenched my fists. “I’m not breaking. I protect them. I survive.” My pulse hammered with jealousy, bitter, sharp, at how easily Vorde risked himself for Viole, for her, while I carried the weight of all timelines. Fury and fear collided inside me, coiling into a weapon I couldn’t release fast enough.
T
