The sky didn't just turn black. It was like someone unplugged the sun.
It wasn't heavy storm cover or standard nightfall; it was a physical, aggressive void that actively swallowed the ambient light. Down on the beach, the geothermal vents were still spitting thick plumes of steam, but the vapor just hit the darkness and vanished. Deleted from the atmosphere.
I stood at the mouth of the cavern, gripping the First Hidden's talon, and watched the planet shut down.
Cassian was right at my elbow. Selene was anchoring our six. Down on the freezing black sand, the regional Alphas had drawn a heavy perimeter. Half of them had already shifted, trusting their fur and fangs over tactical gear. Maren and her Hounds locked down the eastern ridge. Inside the cave, Anca’s scholars were frantically te
