Leila’s Pov
I slammed the heavy wooden door shut just as the blast’s echo faded into muffled shouts and the distant crackle of fire. My heart drummed so loud I thought it might burst through my ribs. The lock clicked home, and I slid the bolt into place, hands trembling on the cold metal.
“Come back…” I whispered, voice barely more than a breath.
The hallway beyond my room was dark and empty. Every footstep, every distant shout of alarm made my pulse race. I pressed my palm flat against the door, feeling the wood tremble beneath my fingers as though it shared my fear.
Leaning against it, I closed my eyes and took a shuddering breath. In my mind I heard Henry’s voice, calm and certain: “I’ll keep you safe.” I let the words play over and over, a mantra I needed to believe.
The room was
