The air was thick with tension, the remnants of demonic energy crackling around me like static. Every nerve in my body was on high alert, my senses sharpened by the adrenaline that pulsed through my veins. The forest around me was eerily silent, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.
My boots crunched softly on the ground as I moved, careful to avoid making any noise that might alert whatever was lurking in the shadows.
My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but I forced myself to focus. Aeliana and Nathaniel were out here somewhere, and I wasn't going to stop until I found them. I could still smell the lingering scent of Aeliana's blood, faint but unmistakable, and it made my heart clench in a way that I hated to admit.
I was furious—furious that she'd been hurt, furious that I hadn't been there to stop it, and furious at myself for caring so damn much.