She hit me like a landslide.
I expected a physical impact, but hugging the Shadow wasn't like hugging a body. It was like hugging a freezing river.
The cold slammed into my chest, stealing the air from my lungs. Her claws dug into my back, tearing through the fabric of my shirt, scratching skin. She smelled of old earth and bitter regret.
"You are weak!" the Shadow screamed into my ear, her voice vibrating in my very bones. "I will hollow you out! I will wear your skin better than you ever did!"
She tried to push me away, to claw at my face, but I held on. I wrapped my arms tighter around her waist, burying my face in the icy curve of her neck.
"I know," I gasped, the cold making my teeth chatter. "I know you're angry. I know."
"Let go!"
The room around us spun. I could feel the oth
