Chapter 22

Alanza’s POV

“Sombra, down,” I muttered.

I tried to slide the strange, smooth crystal back into the nightstand drawer. Sombra darted. Her furry body wedged between me and the wood, a low, insistent rumble in her chest. I sighed, pulling my hand back. The crystal felt warm against my palm.

“I’m just putting it away,” I told her.

She didn’t move. Her pale blue eyes were fixed on the object in my fist. I knew that stare. It meant she wasn't backing off. I shoved the crystal deep into the pocket of my jeans. The sudden, unnatural weight settled in my gut.

Sombra’s tail gave a quick, satisfied thump against the carpet. She trotted toward the kitchen, pausing every few steps to glance over her shoulder. She expected me to follow.

The smell of sautéed onions and peppers hit me when I walked through the doorway. My stomach gave a loud, empty growl. I moved to grab a plate. Sombra cut across my path, forcing me to sidestep hard against the counter. I shot her a quick glare.

“Seriously, what is your problem?” I grabbed the spoon, stirring the vegetables with a sharp, metallic scrape.

She whined, a short, clipped sound. Her nose was pointed at the front door.

Oh. Now I understood.

“You have to go out, I get it,” I said. I rushed toward the door to grab her leash.

Sombra stayed still. She looked from me to the closed door, then back to me. Her whine grew louder, more insistent. I frowned. She didn’t just need to go. She wanted me to come with her.

“You can’t be serious,” I groaned.

She stood her ground, her gaze resolute. Her body language said: We are going for a walk. Now.

“Fine,” I sighed. “Just a fast one. I’m starving.”

I scraped my dinner onto a plate and shoved it into the microwave. I’d be eating it lukewarm. I clipped the leash onto Sombra’s collar. Her tail was a blur of motion. The second the door was open, she shot out, nearly yanking my arm from its socket. I stumbled after her, the crystal in my pocket shifting, feeling heavier than a normal stone should.

The crisp evening air was a relief. The apartment felt tight and hot. I fell into an easy rhythm, the earlier stress melting away. Sombra pulled ahead, her nose twitching, investigating everything. But her path wasn't random sniffing. It felt guided.

I should have stopped her ten minutes ago. I should have turned back toward the main street, back toward home. But I kept my mouth shut. I let Sombra lead. I trusted the strange, silent bond we had.

Thirty minutes later, trust felt stupid. We were deep inside the city park, on a dark trail that cut through a small patch of forest. My food was getting cold. We had a long walk back. I was hungry, tired, and jumpy. I kept checking the shadows behind the trees.

“Sombra, we have to go home. I’m actually starving.” I gave a gentle tug on the leash.

She ignored it.

“Sombra. Come on. Now!” I tugged harder, trying to pivot her toward the trail exit.

She dug in. I almost lost my footing and barely caught myself.

“You have to be kidding me,” I breathed. This was new behavior. Sombra was normally well-behaved on a walk. “Okay. Okay! I know you’re not done.” I tried to rationalize it. She hadn’t stopped to relieve herself yet. Maybe she just needed more time.

Sombra veered off the main trail. She went straight into the shadow line of the trees. The crunch of dry leaves and twigs under my boots sounded too loud in the stillness. A chill ran down my spine. I reached into my pocket and gripped the crystal. The hard edges felt like a small bit of protection.

Moonlight barely reached us, filtering through the thick canopy. It cast strange, shifting shapes on the ground. Sombra moved fast. She was determined, almost urgent. I tightened my grip on the leash, my heart thrumming against my ribs.

This wasn’t just a simple walk. Sombra was always calm. Her worst antic was knocking over a trash can. This single-minded focus, leading me deeper into the darkness, felt wrong. It felt like a warning.

Sweat beaded on my neck. The air felt heavy, smelling of wet earth and dying plants. My pulse quickened. Each breath became shallow. A strange, unfamiliar heat blossomed deep in my stomach. I felt disconnected, like I was watching my body from far away.

What is happening?

Sombra stopped. Her nose twitched, tasting the air. I seized the chance to look around. The trees blurred together. A confusing maze of trunks and branches offered no path back.

A tremor shook me. My fingers clenched tight on the leash. A wave of dizziness washed over me. The world tilted. The shadows stretched out, looking like twisted hands trying to grab me.

I shut my eyes hard. I fought the confusion. It did nothing to stop the rising panic in my stomach. Something was happening. I didn't know what it was. But every part of me screamed danger.

A soft, low whine from Sombra broke through the haze. I snapped my eyes open, blinking to clear the dark spots in my vision. She stood right in front of me. Her pale gaze locked onto mine. In that moment, I saw a flicker in her eyes. It was a spark of knowing, a flash of pure understanding.

She knows. The thought hit me hard.

It was a physical punch, stealing the little air left in my lungs. Sombra had been trying to warn me. I had been too slow, too focused on dinner, too stubborn to pay attention.

The crystal in my pocket seemed to heat up. It felt like it was truly pulsing now, a heavy tether pulling me down this path, right here, right now.

Sombra took a final step closer. Her cold, wet nose touched mine.

“Hello, my human. I’m so glad you’re finally listening.”