Chapter 25 The Edge Of Darkness

Adrian tightened his grip on the gun, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap. The footsteps outside the library door grew louder, more deliberate, each tap of the soles an unspoken challenge. His jaw clenched as he took a step forward, placing himself between Sophia and the danger creeping ever closer. Sophia’s voice wavered behind him, low but urgent. “Adrian, we can’t just wait here. We need to—”