Elisabeth's POV
The earth shuddered violently beneath me, sending shockwaves through my entire body. My legs threatened to give out as the thunderous rumbling intensified, reverberating through my bones. I frantically reached for anything to anchor myself, but before terror could completely consume me, Jefferson's strong hand found my elbow. His touch was solid, unwavering, and despite the mayhem surrounding us, that simple contact sparked a thread of security through my panic.
"Don't let go of me," he commanded, his voice a low rumble that somehow cut through the chaos. There was steel in his tone, but I caught the underlying strain he was trying to hide. The atmosphere around us felt corrupted, saturated with an otherworldly force that made every nerve ending in my body scream warnings. My instincts howled that we had crossed into forbidden territory. Yet escape was no longer an option.
