-Aurelian Salvatore:
The moment Sebastian muttered, "Shit," a cold knot twisted in my stomach. It wasn't just a casual curse word. There was weight behind it, a tension that made the hair on my arms rise. I turned to Elias, searching for the same understanding, but his confusion mirrored mine. We both watched Sebastian, trying to read him, trying to see what had him suddenly tense like a coiled spring. This wasn't fear for himself—I could tell that—but something far more pressing. He was scared for us.
"Sebastian… what's going on?" I asked, my voice tight. " What's wrong?" My fingers itched with energy, my magic buzzing faintly in response to the tension in the air. Sebastian's eyes darted past us, scanning the forest, the shadows, the dark outlines of trees and hills in the distance. Was there something there? Something may be watching us that he could feel before we even realized?
