The transition from "girl" to "monster" didn't feel like a choice. It felt like a seizure.
Every time my boots hit the frozen ground of the ravine, a fresh wave of nausea hit me, followed by the metallic, copper-heavy taste of Silas’s blood. I wasn't running; I was vibrating. The stolen souls of Finn and Jace weren't just energy—they were ghosts. Every time I closed my eyes to blink, I saw Finn’s gray, papery face. I heard Hokan’s final, gurgling breath.
"Elara... slow down," Silas wheezed behind me.
I didn't slow down. I couldn't. If I stopped, the heat in my veins would catch up and melt me from the inside out. I looked back, and the sight nearly made me drop. Silas wasn't just tired; he was hollowed. His skin was the color of wet ash, his eyes sunken and dull. He was leaning heavily
