Aria’s POV
I thought an earthquake was occurring when I heard a loud thump and rushed out of bed to check. I had just woken up from a nap.
The floor shook beneath my feet again, this time harder. Another crash followed, sharper, closer like something heavy had been thrown against a wall. For a second, I stood there frozen, my heart pounding so fast it hurt. Then came another sound a dull, thick hit, not like furniture, but like flesh meeting concrete.
My breath caught. I knew that sound.
I grabbed the edge of the door, opened it slowly, and stepped into the hallway. The air was heavy, thick, charged. Every light in the corridor was still on, too bright, too sterile, like the house was holding its breath.
The noise came again. This time it was crash and a roar that wasn’t a word but a
