Jaxon
The air is thick with tension, every breath I take tasting like the promise of blood and chaos. I stand at the edge of the tree line, staring at Elijah’s stronghold. It’s a fortress, tall and imposing, and every instinct I have tells me we’re walking into a trap. Doesn’t matter. We don’t have another choice.
It is only three days since he last gave us the slip, but Nina and I agreed that the longer we wait, the more he reinforces. This is the right time to hit again.
I glance at Nina beside me. She’s all sharp lines and cold determination, her jaw set, her hand gripping the syringe so tightly I’m worried it might snap.
“Ready?” I ask, my voice rough.
Her eyes flick to me, and for a second, the mask slips. I see the fear there, the weight of everything riding on this moment. “Rea
