Chapter 96: Into the Heart
The quiet was too loud.
After all the roaring and screaming of the storm, the sudden silence felt like a trap. The wind, once wild and angry, had fallen still. The rain that had soaked them to the bone now came down softly, more like a mist than a downpour. It was as if the world itself had paused to breathe, holding something back. Waiting.
Luna’s chest rose and fell in shallow, uneasy breaths as she looked around. The trees stood still, their leaves motionless. The air felt thick with something unseen. Her wet hair clung to her face and neck, and though her clothes were drenched and heavy, she felt something hotter than fear burning inside her chest.
Beside her, Ryder stood tense, his jaw clenched. “I don’t like this,” he said quietly, almost as if he was a
