“Get out of my head!”
The scream ripped through me as my body slammed against the cold floor. My vision fractured, splitting into sharp, flickering layers that didn’t belong to me. Thoughts collided, mine, and something else. Something patient. Watching. Learning. No. You don’t get to live here.
I forced my hands into fists, nails biting into my skin. Pain helped. It anchored me. Barely.
“Veronica!” Vorde’s voice cut through the chaos, rough, urgent. His hand grabbed my shoulder, grounded but trembling. Fear. Real fear. Not for himself, for me. That twisted something deep inside my chest. “I’m fine,” I lied, even as my breath came unevenly. I could feel it moving through my mind, touching memories, testing reactions. Not rushing. Never rushing.
That scared me more than anything.
“You’
