The darkness thickened around them, not like the gradual onset of night but something more deliberate—as if the shadows themselves were gathering, drawn to their presence. Samantha's breath grew shallow, each inhale tasting of ancient dust and secrets. The path they'd been following for hours had narrowed to little more than a suggestion between towering obsidian spires that seemed to lean inward, watching.
Ahead, Marcus stopped so abruptly that Kai nearly collided with his back. His hand raised in warning, pale skin luminous against the gloom.
"Don't move," he commanded, voice barely audible.
Samantha froze, one hand instinctively cradling her swollen belly. The child within her had gone unnaturally still, as if sensing danger. Through their bond, she felt Kai's alertness spike and Marcus's ancient power gathering like a storm. Only Aspen appeared calm, his ethereal features unreadable as he studied what lay before them.
