~Elara~
"I know," I cut her off, keeping my head down. "That's why Caleb's here. He's... a specialist."
Not exactly a lie.
I brushed past her, moving as quickly as I dared toward the living room where Caleb waited, his tall frame radiating tension even from across the apartment. The moment he saw me, his nostrils flared, confirming what I already suspected—I smelled different. Wrong, maybe. Or just new.
"We need to go," he said simply, his voice calm despite the concern evident in his eyes. "Now."
Zoe hovered uncertainly behind me. "Should I come with you?"
"No," Caleb and I answered in unison.
I turned to face my roommate, careful to keep my eyes downcast. "I'll be fine. Caleb has... experience with this kind of thing."
"What kind of thing exactly?" Zoe crossed her arms, suspiciou
