Nova stood in the heart of an ancient forest, its trees gnarled and towering, their branches tangled like skeletal fingers clawing at the sky. The air was thick with the scent of decay, a sickly-sweet blend of rotting earth and dying leaves. Shadows slithered across the forest floor, but it wasn’t the dark that made her shiver—it was the presence. It was here.
The demon emerged from between the trees, towering and cloaked in shadow, its voice a rasp that echoed through the silence. "You carry what belongs to me."
Nova’s fists clenched. "You’re not getting him."
The demon tilted its head, revealing slits of glowing crimson eyes. "River is mine. You are merely the vessel."
"No," she growled, heart pounding. "He is mine."
The demon laughed, the sound vibrating through the ground. It exte
