Sable's POV
I can't stop shaking.
I'm sitting on the cold stone floor of the old storage cave behind the Whispering Caves, knees pulled to my chest, staring at my own hands like they belong to someone else. They're still glowing faintly black at the fingertips, the leftover traces of the ritual Odessa forced me to learn. My little brother's face keeps flashing in my mind; Odessa's voice promising she would send someone to "visit" him if I didn't cooperate.
I hate myself.
I hate myself so much it feels like there's acid in my stomach.
Bambi almost died because of me.
I keep seeing her collapse, keep hearing that horrible scream, keep seeing Dawn's face when he thought she was gone. I did that. Me.
The guilt is so heavy I can barely breathe.
I press my forehead to my knees and try to cry quietly, but the sobs keep coming.
Footsteps echo outside the cave. Slow. Measured. The wheels of a chair on stone.
I know who it is before he even speaks.
