I didn't know what chilled me more—Ryke's threat, or the terrifying stillness in Mother's eyes. There was something final in her silence, like she'd already decided how this was going to end. My chest tightened, like someone had filled it with ice. Even the air tasted thin, sharp against my tongue.
Uncle Ren's fists were clenched so tight his knuckles turned bone-white. "Like hell I'm leaving you," he growled, his voice low, stormy. Beneath his boots, the floor gave a faint tremor—barely noticeable, but enough to feel it. Like the house itself had flinched.
Mother snapped toward him, her jaw rigid, and her voice all steel. "Don't be an idiot. The village can't lose both of us. If he's telling the truth, they'll come in force. You're faster. Stronger. You can get them out."
His voice cracked. "And if you die?! You think the girls'll be safe knowing you stayed behind to bleed out? You want that on their backs?!"
I stood there, rooted between them. My heart thundered against my ribs, way too fast, like it didn't want to be in my body anymore. I'm eleven. Eleven. I wasn't supposed to be here—to hear adults argue over who should survive. I wasn't supposed to be this scared.
Naial's grip on me tightened. Her arms wrapped around me like a lifeline, small and trembling. I was barely standing on my own anymore. She held me up like I was made of glass and regret.
Ryke coughed from the floor, his laugh wet and broken. "I recommend you listen to your pet, Huntress," he rasped. "There are more of us than you can count. You think you'll survive what's coming?"
Mother turned slowly, eyes glowing. Her glare was sharp enough to cut bone. "Enough with the bullshit." Her hand surged with red magic. It crackled across her skin like living fire, and the barrier pulsed—throbbing like a heartbeat, matching the tension in the air.
Only then did the cold sink in. Not just the regular chill from stone floors and night air—but something deeper. Sharper. The kind of cold that settled into your bones, like it planned to stay forever. I shivered violently, knees knocking, and hugged myself tighter.
He had to be lying. Of course he was lying. If a raid was really coming, we would've felt it. Mother always sensed things before they arrived. Always.
But then I looked.
Buck's headless corpse still slumped in the corner, blood pooling like ink across the floor. The scent hit me like a slap—iron, ash, and smoke. Magic. I gagged and stumbled backward, nausea rolling over me in hot waves. Naial's arm hooked around me, catching me again like she'd done a hundred times tonight.
"He's lying," I muttered, though it didn't sound like truth anymore. It sounded like a child trying to believe in safety. But if he was lying... then why did everything feel wrong?
Why did the walls feel like they were closing in?
I dragged myself toward Mother, every step like walking through syrup. My limbs were heavy, breath catching in short bursts. My soul felt mended—but my body hadn't caught up. Each heartbeat skipped or slammed. My skin was burning from the inside out, and still I kept moving. I had to say something. She couldn't believe him. That's what he wanted. He wanted fear. Panic. For her to give in.
Then it hit.
Ice raced up my spine, down my arms, into my lungs. I gasped, no—I whimpered. I don't even know what sound came out. I just know I couldn't stand anymore. My legs buckled. Pain surged through my nerves like a storm of needles threading my bones, twisting, burning.
Naial caught me as I collapsed.
Light dimmed around the edges of my vision. The world blurred. My ears rang. Even sound felt distant now, like it was underwater. I couldn't make out faces, only outlines. And then—warmth. A hand on my cheek, my throat.
Mother's voice cut through the fog, full of panic. "Kaya, what's wrong?!"
Her magic buzzed against my skin, trembling, wild. I wanted to answer, but my mouth wouldn't work. My lips parted, but no words came.
The cold was inside me now. Not touching me—inside. It was mine. Or maybe I was becoming part of it.
This only ever happened when I sensed something terrible. Magic that didn't belong. Magic that made the air scream. And if it hurt this badly—if I was breaking from the inside—then whatever was coming…
It wasn't just big.
It was massive.
Naial shook me gently, crying my name. I could barely hear her. Her voice was muffled by the blood in my ears and the thunder in my chest.
Mother helped me sit up. Naial wrapped her arms around me again; tiny but strong, like she was trying to shield me from the entire world. My eyes refused to stay open. They were boulders. My lashes dragged down like weights.
Then Mother's voice again, cracking this time. "Kaya, baby, talk to me. Please."
I forced my mouth to work. "He's not lying."
Everything stopped.
Mother froze. Uncle Ren turned like someone had thrown a knife at him. They stared. I swallowed hard, tried to steady my breathing.
"He's not lying," I said again, louder this time.
I raised a hand, fingers twitching as I pointed at Ryke. "I can feel them. Hundreds. Maybe thousands. They're already here. Surrounding us."
Ryke's smirk was unbearable.
And Mother?
Her face shattered.
I'd never seen her like that. Not even at Father's funeral. But now... now she looked like someone had torn her heart out mid-beat. Her composure crumbled. Uncle Ren's shock barely hid behind his clenched jaw.
Ryke rose, brushing ash and blood from his coat like he was preparing for a meeting, not a massacre.
"Now that we're all caught up," he said smoothly, dusting his sleeves. His voice slithered through the air like smoke curling beneath a locked door.
Naial's arms squeezed tighter. Mother stepped in front of us, shielding me. Uncle Ren's hands weren't human anymore—claws had grown in place of nails, his whole body rigid with readiness.
Ryke didn't look at any of us.
He looked out the window.
"You know," he murmured, almost thoughtful, "this was always the plan."
Then came the real pain.
Not just fear. Not just cold. But pain.
Agonizing, soul-flaying, world-ending pain.
My heart spasmed. I screamed. It felt like frostbitten blades tearing into me from the inside. Naial held on, but my body dragged her down with me. We hit the ground together. My scream choked off halfway.
Mother turned fast, ready to sprint toward me—but Ryke's voice interrupted, smug and poisonous.
"Oh, before I forget... the welcoming committee should be here any minute."
He didn't even look back as he smirked.
"Now."
The room went silent.
A single heartbeat passed.
Then—
CRASH.
Wood splintered.
Glass shattered.
Boots stomped.
Oh no