The night felt colder than before.
Makayla tried to shake off the creeping chill that coiled around her bones, but it wasn’t from the wind or the dark.
It was fear.
The weight of Vivienne’s words settled in her chest like a stone.
He’s being consumed.
It was worse than she had imagined.
She had been so focused on saving him, on believing there was still time, that she hadn’t stopped to consider the reality of what was happening.
If they didn’t act fast—
She clenched her fists.
They had to act fast.
Mikhail was already a step ahead, his movements tense but controlled as he scanned the darkened forest around them.
“Where was he last?” he asked sharply.
Vivienne exhaled, her breath still a little shaky from her wound, but she was stronger now.
“I don’t know,” she muttered. “The l
