Avernon City appeared as a sea of lights from the distance, but to Alaric and Anna, the metropolis was a viper's nest coiled and ready to swallow them whole. Aris lay sprawled on the dirt, his breathing ragged and shallow, while his words regarding Evelyn rang out like a persistent death knell.
"Evelyn..." Alaric's knuckles turned white as he slammed his fist into his palm. "That woman truly wants to set the world on fire just to watch us turn to ash."
Anna stood beside him, the sea breeze whipping through her tangled hair. But something had shifted. Ever since the explosion in the cave, her head had been spinning. A strange, hollow nausea crept through her midsection—not the flutter of fear, but something deeper, something primal.
"Alaric..." Anna whispered, her hand instinctively ghosting over her still-flat stomach.
Alaric turned instantly, his protective instincts flaring into a roar. He caught her just as she began to sway. "Anna? Are you hit? Where does it hurt?"
