Lana's gaze instantly sharpened. She held up her hand, signaling Naina to stop talking. The warmth in her eyes faded, replaced by icy alertness.
'Finally,' she thought, her fingers subtly brushing against the talismans tucked in her hand. 'It's here.'
Naina's breath hitched as she, too, felt the sudden drop in temperature. Her body tensed, and her words died in her throat.
The faint sound of something dragging across the floorboards came from the corridor outside, the slow, scraping noise of fingernails clawing wood.
The door creaked open, though no wind had touched it.
A wisp of cold fog slithered in, spreading along the ground like a serpent.
Lana whispered, "Stay calm. Don't show fear."
Naina swallowed hard, clutching the blanket tightly. "Is… is that it?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
