The night air felt sharp enough to cut skin.
The moment the silver footprints shimmered at the edge of my porch, something inside me snapped into motion. Instinct. Fury. Curiosity. Maybe stupidity. Hard to tell the difference these days. I jumped off the last step and landed in the snow, my boots sinking into frost that was already beginning to warp around the glowing prints.
Behind me, I heard Nathan call my name sharply. “Margot.”
“No.” I said, pushing forward. “Not this time. He came to me. I am going to him.”
Leah jogged after me. “You cannot follow Calix alone.”
“I can and I will.” I said. “Unless you want to drag me back in chains, good luck catching me.”
Nathan caught up, matching my pace with ease. “You are not doing this without us.”
“Great.” I said. “A field trip. Bring sn
