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Takeshi’s hand suddenly clamped over her mouth. “Shut up.”

Her first instinct was to bite him, but something in his expression halted her.

He wasn’t looking at her.

He was staring at the hallway behind her. She breathed into his palm, and then she heard it.

A low creak of the wooden floor.

Another.

The faint thud of a door closing.

Someone was in the house with them.

The blood drained from her face, and Takeshi put one finger to her lips. She nodded, afraid to exhale.

Takeshi’s gaze narrowed as he scanned the empty room. He crept forward, holding a palm back for her to stay put.

Then, he disappeared around the corner.

The silence expanded, like a slow-waking evil stretching its jaws. Khalani gripped the knife he gave her, her knuckles turning white.

She thought she was comfortable in the dark, but the shadowy walls closed in around her, like they were alive. Watching thewhites of her eyes. The quivering of her lips.

Another creak, and her head whipped to the far corner of the room.

Nothing.

Not a hint of movement.

The knife shook in her hand.

Khalani took a slow step backward, the front door brushing against her shoulders.

Where are you?

Where are you?

All of a sudden, a crash rang out.

She jumped as two figures tumbled to the floor right in front of her. Takeshi grappled with a large man wearing a black cloak and brown hair cascading to his waist.

Takeshi quickly gained the upper hand, flipping the man over and thrusting his knife toward the stranger’s throat. But the man suddenly gripped Takeshi’s wrists, his arms trembling as the blade hovered inches from his jugular.

Takeshi pressed down harder, the blade inching closer and closer to his throat. The stranger’s face turned beet-red with terror and exertion when he yelled out for help.

Heavy footsteps thundered from the opposite hallway.

A new figure emerged.

This man was heftier, wearing the same black cloak, with blond hair longer than Khalani’s and strange red geometric tattoos covering his face. His eyes locked on the struggle, and he charged forward, wielding a curved scythe.

Aiming straight for Takeshi.

Khalani didn’t have time to think.

She launched herself forward and jumped on the man’s back, stabbing him in the ribs with all her might as she screamed. He grunted, throwing her off him and she slammed to the ground.