COLD STEEL, BLEEDING HEARTS
The sound was awful, like a thousand mirrors shattering.
“We have to move!” David yelled. He grabbed Maya’s other arm. “We can hide in the underground tunnel! Maya, these things are drawn to you!”
Bianca pointed, her hand shaking. “Look at the street!”
Black ink was leaking from Maya’s shadow, sliding across the road. Wherever it touched, building shadows stood up, stretching into monstrous shapes. Car shadows turned into flat, black beasts. The whole city was waking up into a nightmare.
One of the black-winged things dropped from the sky, landing silently beside Maya. It didn’t attack. It just folded its smoky wings and stood there. For a moment, the smoke cleared—and Maya saw its face.