LILA’S POV
The forest was eerily quiet again, but this time, it wasn’t the calm that comes before a storm it was the weight of dread settling over us, a darkness lingering long after the enemy’s retreat. Callum sat against a fallen tree, golden energy flickering weakly from his hands, and I could see the strain etched into every line of his face.
I knelt beside him, brushing the damp hair from his forehead. “How do you feel?” I asked softly, though I already knew the answer.
He swallowed hard, voice hoarse. “I… I’m back, Lila. But I’ve never felt weaker in my life. That… that darkness… it almost consumed me.”
I gritted my teeth, fury rising inside me. “Almost isn’t enough. Not this time. I won’t let him touch you again. Not you. Not anyone I love.”
Marcus, Ethan, and Davian gathered a
