Chapter 1167
Night fell swiftly, the sky deepening to indigo, stars emerging one by one. They gathered close around their fire, the warmth and light a fragile shield against the chill of the unknown. Jude sat with Sophie, his arm around her shoulders, her head resting against him. Lucy kept watch at the edge of the firelight, her blade never far from her hand. The others spoke little, the weight of the day too heavy for words.
And as the flames crackled low, as sleep tugged at their weary bodies, the wind carried a sound through the night, a soft voice, sweet and terrible, whispering from the shadows beyond the fire’s reach.
, Soon.,
Jude’s eyes snapped open, his heart racing, his breath caught in his throat. He stared into the darkness, but saw only trees, only night. But he knew she was there. Closer than ever.
And he knew the battle had only just begun.
The fire burned low, casting faint amber light that barely held the darkness at bay. Jude sat rigid, every muscle tight, every sense straining. The others shifted uneasily, some pretending to rest, but he knew none of them truly slept. That voice, the soft, haunting promise of , soon, , still echoed in their minds, as real and heavy as the sea mist that clung to their skin.
Sophie stirred beside him, lifting her head from his shoulder. Her eyes met his, and in them he saw the same fear, the same determination. "She’s closer," Sophie whispered, so low only he could hear. "I feel it. Like she’s right at the edge, waiting for us to drop our guard."
Jude nodded, glancing toward the treeline. The night beyond their circle of light felt alive. Every shadow seemed to move, every breath of wind carried the scent of moss and salt and something deeper, something wrong.
"We can’t stay here," Lucy said quietly, her voice carrying across the small camp. She rose, her blade drawn, eyes sweeping the dark. "This place won’t protect us anymore. If she comes again, we’ll be trapped."