Chapter 101: Lily’s New Purpose
Lily POV
The shade beneath the old oak tree moved wrong, rippling like water instead of staying still. I froze mid-step, my hand flying out to stop Caleb from walking into what looked like empty air.
"What is it?" he whispered, trusting me quickly even though he couldn’t see what I saw.
"Void Walker," I breathed. "A big one. Right in front of us."
Caleb’s eyes widened as he stared at the seemingly normal shadow. "I don’t see anything."
That’s when I realized how different I’d become. Ever since losing my pack ties during the Shadow Council’s attack, I could see things that were hidden from everyone else. The invisible threads of supernatural energy that linked all magical creatures. The weak spots in reality where Void Walkers liked to hide. The dark rot spreading through possessed pack members.
"Trust me," I said, pulling out the silver blade Elder Iris had given me. "On three, dive left. One... two... three!"
We rolled apart just as the shadow exploded upward, showing a Void Walker the size of a small building. Its hungry darkness reached for where we’d been standing, finding only empty air.
"How did you know?" Caleb gasped, jumping to his feet.
"I can see its energy pattern," I explained, watching the creature’s moves. "It’s like looking at a puzzle where one piece doesn’t fit right."
The Void Walker turned toward us, and I saw something that made my heart stop. Inside its darkness, faces were trapped - pack members who had been eaten. They were still alive, still screaming quietly for help.