Chapter 42 — Shadows That Never Left
Darkness wrapped the mansion like a living thing.
For a heartbeat, there was nothing—no light, no sound—just the rush of blood in Kiera's ears and the sudden, suffocating awareness that fear had returned far too easily.
"Kade?" she whispered.
"I'm here," his voice came instantly, close and steady. She felt his hand close around hers, firm and grounding. "Don't move."
The silence stretched, thick and unnatural. Even the city outside seemed to have gone quiet.
"This isn't normal," Kiera said, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound calm. "The generators should've kicked in."
"They should have," Kade agreed grimly.
Somewhere down the hallway, a floorboard creaked.
Kiera's breath hitched. "Did you hear that?"
"Yes," Kade said. "Stay behind me."
He gently moved her back until she felt the cool wall against her shoulders. She hated how familiar this felt—being cornered, bracing for something unseen.
