Annabel dropped the ward once she felt the pressure on it disappear. The complex bubble of light and darkness disintegrated, revealing the terrifying sight around them.
Ozias was gone and so was the city. No matter where she looked, the tall buildings were reduced to piles of trash and rubble, with fires and smoke rising from their remains. It was so unbearably quiet that as Annabel took a step back and her foot squashed a piece of cement, the loud noise reverberated with an echo that made her jump.
She glanced at William to make sure he was alright, then raised her hand and pressed on the communication device in her ear, trying to establish a connection with Mary. Before she could even speak, the earpiece made a loud, piercing sound. She pulled it out of her ear just as William did the
