A Warning in the Shadows

Julia — First-Person POV

The Bennett mansion felt different now.

Not grand anymore. Not impressive.

Just cold.

Like the walls had finally stopped pretending they were safe.

Alan and Kai had left minutes ago, both claiming they needed to “secure the perimeter,” but even their footsteps had felt like a clash—two different storms refusing to share the same sky.

Now I was alone in my mother’s study.

The room was perfect in a way that didn’t feel real. Polished wood. Neat shelves. Dustless surfaces