LOGINRhydan’s POVRhydan moved before thought caught up.His hand snapped out, grabbing Aurenya’s wrist the second the creature reached for her.“Don’t,” he said sharply.The word wasn’t just warning.It was command.The air around them reacted instantly—pressure shifting, crackling like something unseen had just been disturbed.The creature paused.Its hand hovered inches from Aurenya’s face.And then it slowly turned its gaze to Rhydan.For the first time, there was something like irritation there.“You interfere as if she is not already halfway gone.”Rhydan’s jaw tightened. “She’s not going anywhere.”But even as he said it, he felt it.Aurenya wasn’t resisting him.Not fully.Her wrist was warm in his grip, but her body felt… distant. Like she was standing slightly out of phase with the world.Kaelor stepped forward immediately. “Rhydan, don’t pull her—if the alignment completes while she’s split—”“I don’t care,” Rhydan snapped without looking at him. “I’m not letting it touch her.”
Rhydan’s POVThe moment Lyssara spoke again, the air changed.Not just colder.Heavier.Like the room had stopped belonging to them.Rhydan shifted instinctively in front of Aurenya, even though she was still barely conscious in his arms. His instincts were screaming at him now—loud, sharp, impossible to ignore.The twins weren’t just involved anymore.They were part of it.Kaelor was already moving, hands raised, trying to stabilize the collapsing containment lines.“It’s not just reacting to the bond,” Kaelor said tightly. “It’s syncing with it through her.”Draven didn’t look away from Lyssara.That alone was enough to make Rhydan uneasy.“What does that mean?” Rhydan snapped.Draven’s voice was quieter now. “It means she’s a conduit.”Arinya wiped blood from her lip where the backlash had hit her earlier, still standing even though her knees were shaking.“I don’t care what that means,” she said sharply. “Fix it.”Rhydan almost smiled at that.Almost.Because the way she said it—
Lyssara’s POVThe nightmare started before I opened my eyes.I knew because the whispers were already there.Soft.Ancient.Hungry.I sat up too fast, breathing hard as moonlight spilled across the bedroom floor. Beside me, Arinya was still asleep at first, curled beneath the blankets with one arm under her head.But then her eyes snapped open instantly.Golden-amber.Alert.“Mom,” she said immediately.My chest tightened.“I know.”The bond pulsed again.Not ours.Hers.And something about it felt… wrong.Not broken.Awake.Arinya shoved the blankets off herself and climbed out of bed. “We should go.”I hesitated.Because usually Mom told us to stay hidden.Usually Kaelor said not to wander at night.Usually Draven somehow already knew before we did.But tonight—the house felt different.Like something had entered it without walking through the door.Another pulse hit the air.Arinya flinched violently this time.A crack split across the wooden bedframe beside her hand.She looked
Rhydan’s POV“You finally feel it too.”The words stayed in Rhydan’s head long after the presence stopped speaking.Because the worst part was—it was right.Something had changed.Not emotionally.Physically.Like a thread inside his chest had suddenly become visible.Connected.Alive.And pulling.Rhydan stepped back instinctively, jaw tight. “Get it out.”Kaelor frowned. “What?”“This,” Rhydan snapped, pressing a hand against his chest. “Whatever it just did.”Draven’s expression darkened slightly.“It didn’t do anything.”Rhydan looked at him sharply.Draven held his gaze.“You were already part of it.”Silence hit the cabin again.Aurenya closed her eyes briefly like the sentence physically hurt.Outside—the presence remained near the broken doorway now.Not forcing entry anymore.Waiting.Like it knew panic would do the work for it.Aurenya’s POVThe bond felt different now.Before, it was unstable.Now—it was connecting.Every emotion moved too fast between us.Rhydan’s ange
Kaelor’s POVThe moment Lyssara began speaking prophecy—the entire bond destabilized.Not violently.Perfectly.Like a lock finally turning the right direction.Kaelor felt it instantly.The pressure in the cabin shifted from resistance to alignment.And that terrified him.Because resistance could still be fought.Alignment meant something was beginning to agree.“Aurenya,” he said sharply, “you need to interrupt her connection now.”Aurenya looked barely able to breathe. “How?”Before Kaelor could answer—Lyssara spoke again through the bond.“The first shield breaks…”Rhydan’s expression darkened immediately.Outside the cabin, the presence smiled wider.And somewhere miles away—Arinya screamed.Not in fear.In pain.Aurenya doubled over instantly with a cry.Rhydan caught her before she hit the floor. “What happened?!”Draven’s voice turned grim.“The fire one is resisting synchronization.”Kaelor swore quietly.Of course she was.Arinya’s entire existence was resistance.House
Lyssara’s POV The moment the bond opened— everything became louder. Not sound. Feeling. Thoughts brushing against each other too fast to separate. Fear. Anger. Pain. Love. Mama. Lyssara stood near the bedroom window, small fingers curled tightly against the fabric of her sleeve while silver-blue light flickered softly beneath her skin. Outside the house— something waited. Not fully visible. But watching. Always watching. Arinya moved in front of her instantly. “Stop looking at it.” Lyssara blinked slowly. “It’s looking back.” “I don’t care.” Arinya’s golden eyes glowed brighter again as another pulse shook the walls. A crack spread across the ceiling above them. She didn’t even flinch. But Lyssara felt it— the fear underneath her sister’s anger. Not fear for herself. Fear for everyone else. “The line is thinner now,” Lyssara whispered. Arinya turned sharply. “Can you stop saying creepy things for one second?” Normally Lyssara woul







