Kaia
Nobody moves.
For a long, terrible second, nobody even breathes.
Callum stands in the middle of the road like he belongs there, like he’s been waiting for us since we left the village. Maybe longer. His grin stretches too wide, his eyes too hollow, his body twitching with an energy that doesn’t look human anymore.
“Hello, Kieran,” he says, savoring the words. “Miss me?”
Kieran goes rigid beside me. I can feel it through the bond — something cracking, splintering, threatening to shatter completely.
Bob’s edges go razor-sharp at my shoulder.
“Say the word.” Torric’s voice is low, dangerous. “He doesn’t get near her again.”
But Callum isn’t looking at me. He’s looking at Kieran like he’s the only person in the world.
“Did you miss me?” Callum tilts his head, that wrong grin stretching wider. “Did you look for me? Did you evencare?”
“Callum.” Kieran’s voice breaks on the name.
Callum giggles — high, sharp, wrong.
“The Valkyrie opens the Gate,” he whispers, almost to himself. “The God devours… devours…” He trails off, blinking rapidly, then refocuses on Kieran with unsettling intensity. “You LEFT me there.”
The group shifts uneasily.
I catch Torric taking a step forward — not attacking, just positioning himself between me and Callum. His jaw is tight, heat radiating off him in waves he’s barely controlling.
Finn hasn’t moved. His face is blank, closed off, but I can see his hands shaking at his sides.
Malrik is quiet. Watching. Trying to assess damage none of us can see.
And Darian—
Darian takes a step back.
I notice because everyone else stepped forward — toward me.
His corruption flickers around his fingers, dark and uneasy, and his eyes are locked on Callum with an intensity that makes my stomach twist.
“There’s something else inside him,” Darian says. His voice is barely above a whisper. “Something wrong.”
Callum’s head snaps toward Darian.
He stops twitching. Stops grinning. Goes completely, horribly still.
For one long moment, he just stares. His hollow eyes move from Darian to me. Back to Darian. Back to me.
Then he starts laughing.
High and sharp and utterly unhinged, the sound bouncing off the twisted trees around us. Linda drifts toward Kieran, hovering close like she’s trying to offer comfort he can’t accept.
“Oh,” Callum gasps between laughs, tears streaming down his face. “Oh, that’sprecious. You found him. You actually foundhim.” He doubles over, wheezing. “The last one. The broken one. Does he know what he is yet? Doesshe?”
Darian flinches like he’s been struck.
“Shadows bite, shadows bite,” Callum sing-songs, wiping his eyes. “The broken one shines brightest before he burns…”
