My Family's Secret

nd a trench coat. Honestly, I just needed air. Lunaris Manor squeezes you from the inside out, like the walls

lipped out d

ng dr

asn't supp

the wrong

like fire is breathing on you even when you don't see flames. My skin instantly went cla

ed around. Anyon

heard my mo

lat. Ch

chant. She barel

overdrive, and the ro

inside: low, tense, like he already knew

low, shaky s

Victor Lunaris, and two elders

edge of a glowing circl

f it...., somet

athing and

pped so hard I

to me, ice-blue, fur

la

le. Just barely. The symbols flared

head, slow and wrong, like it

the wall. "What... wh

e ans

's chanti

y hissed. The creature jerked

e." His voice shook. Kael does not sha

? That thing

gro

ide my bones, like fear sud

able and sent a tray of silver tools crashing to

d instantly. Its he

y eye color, but twisted like s

E!" Kael gr

ugh. Something in the ritual snapped,

n't sound human. My mom gasped, t

acked like sh

eature

***" .....

us. The sound alone made every hair on my skin stand up

off whatever was left of the ritual. Its shape rippled, wolf-like b

lled, "CO

tai

d eat a lot of

eath was hot and shaky in my ear. "Don'

!" I

'll know yo

M sc

cking it. Dust rained down on us, this made m

ielding me with his body

y did you co

rying to

isn't

ot lau

e. My mom joined him, her voice cracking. The creature

ectly at me and it felt like a punch

aw, forcing my head down. "D

se!" My whole body tremb

" he said. "

il

what, sta

ure charg

ore words I coul

ght slammed into t

ely fl

me to my feet. "We'

t outru

But I

assage. My legs moved on instinct alone. The creature r

o another door w

" he b

. One more hit sent it flying open, and we tumbled

d braced against it. "Elara,

his arm. "I'm

not annoyed. Just... scared.

f you," he said quietly. "I

d? To

or so hard the wood bowed inward

he shou

m. More cra

ht and burning. I was never su

ancient and furi

elled my name and the