Chapter 18 Into The Void

The air rips apart as Fynn collapses, her shadows exploding outward in a wave that knocks me back. My boots skid on the slick ground, the black sludge splattering against my legs, cold and wrong. I catch myself, heart slamming against my ribs, and lunge for her, but she’s already gone—crumpled in the center of the circle, her body still, too still. The cloaked figure looms over her, its hand outstretched, and the shadows—hers and something darker—swirl around them like a storm I can’t break through. “Fynn!” My voice cracks, raw and desperate, as I charge forward. The air resists, thick and heavy, pushing me back like a wall. I shift mid-step, claws tearing into the earth, my wolf form surging with every ounce of power I’ve got. I leap, aiming for that figure, but the shadows twist, slamming me down hard. Pain flares through my side, but I don’t care—I scramble up, snarling, eyes locked on her.