Leo moved quickly through the forest, his steps silent but urgent, guiding Brittany and Lily toward a hollowed tree trunk hidden beneath layers of moss and shadow.
The lair inside was dim, its walls lined with roots that pulsed faintly as though alive. They sat down, the air heavy with the scent of damp earth, and Leo's voice cut through the silence.
"We need to hurry," he said, his tone sharp. "The morning arises in ten minutes."
Brittany, still shaken but regaining her strength, frowned. "What happens in the morning?"
Leo's gaze darkened. "Morning in Forevermore is not like morning in your world. It resets the contracts, strengthens the bindings, and erases what little resistance remains. If we don't act before then, Hodgins will have complete control."
At the mansion, Anne stood trembling, her heart torn as she faced Hodgins. Egry, broken and weary, dared to speak. "Why do you even need to form a contract? All the wishes have already been used."
Hodgins smirked, her eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "I forgot you were living under a rock. A day in Forevermore equals a week in the real world. It adds up, Egry. Every contract, every wish, every memory—it all multiplies."
Anne's eyes widened, horror sinking in. Egry's face fell, her hope draining away like water through cracked stone.
Anne closed her eyes, concentrating. She forced herself to forget Zahir—the day he arrived, the way he smiled, the way he always fought for her. One by one, the memories slipped away, dissolving into nothingness. Hodgins' grin widened as she sensed the contract forming.
Only a single strand remained. Anne clutched it desperately, tears streaming down her face. She was about to lose him completely—his name, his face, his existence. The last fragment of Zahir was fading, vanishing into the void.
Hodgins leaned closer, her smirk triumphant.
And then—
A voice rang out, sharp and defiant. "Well, I hope we aren't too late, Mrs. Widowed Bitch."
Anne's head snapped up. From the fog at the mansion's entrance, Brittany, Lily, and Leo appeared, their silhouettes cutting through the darkness like a blade.
To be continued…