Scarlet
The moment Damien crossed the boundary of the clearing, the world shifted.
Not metaphorically—literally.
The temperature dropped like a stone into a frozen lake. The hair on my arms stood up despite the thick wool of my sweater. The warmth from the torches seemed to pull inward, retreating as if even fire knew to brace for whatever was coming.
He didn’t speak.
Neither did I.
He stood just beyond the inner circle, tall and quiet, his eyes fixed on mine. There was something in them tonight that I couldn’t name. Not softness—not exactly. But not fire either. It was a middle place. A storm was waiting to decide which way it would break.
Damien observed everyone around and was confused to see Declan for a second, but he remained composed. He looks so different, it’s— it’s very u
