Nina The humidity hit me like a wall as soon as we stepped through the portal and into Mila’s overgrown jungle territory. Sweat instantly beaded on my brow, and I grimaced, already missing the cooler mountain air back home. But there was no time to dwell on such trivial discomforts—not when Enzo
Enzo I paced back and forth in my lavish bedroom once again, my mind racing. The image of that feral panther was seared into my brain, its wild eyes and foaming mouth a haunting reminder of what could become of me if I didn’t turn out the way Mila had… hoped. Or at least, that was what I assumed
Nina I watched with bated breath as the weathered village leader, whose name I had learned was Kai, walked up to the hut where my friends and I were being held. As the others murmured amongst themselves, I kept my gaze fixed on the old leader. “Sir, please, you have to listen,” I said as soon as
Nina The weathered old leader rushed to the unconscious man’s side, cradling his sweat-drenched face in his calloused hands. For several agonizing heartbeats, the newly-cured man didn’t move or make a sound. Matt, Jessica, Lori and I stood off to the side, biting our lips. We watched silently, h
A thrall. Nausea coiled in the pit of my stomach as that word settled in. I thought of the feral state the panther—Isaac—had been reduced to, and felt bile rise in my throat. A thrall, a servant, a pawn. Would that be Enzo’s fate, if we didn’t find him soon enough? How many others had she reduce
Enzo “Today is the day, my love.” Mila’s voice, soft and sweet, pulled me out of my reverie. I found myself sitting beside those pools of unfathomably deep water again, although this time, I couldn’t quite remember how I had gotten here. Furrowing my brow, I turned to see Mila’s face smiling d
Nina I crouched low in the underbrush, my heart pounding against my ribcage. Peering through the fronds, I could just make out the cave entrance that would lead us to Mila’s palace, and hopefully, to my husband. But it wouldn’t be so simple to get in. This time, there were guards stationed at th
… The narrow path sloped downward at a steep incline, the rocky walls slowly closing in around us. I maneuvered carefully, trying to keep my breathing steady and calm as the hot, oppressive air grew thicker and harder to draw into my lungs. We continued on like this for what felt like an eternit