Chapter 21

The Cursed Luna

Katherine's breath hitched as she found herself in the familiar darkness once again, the weight of it pressing down on her chest like a vice. She was running—no, fleeing—from shadows that clawed at her with invisible hands. Voices echoed in the void, taunting, whispering her name with venom. The forest around her seemed alive, closing in, suffocating her with every step she took.

"No…please…" she gasped, her feet pounding against the ground that seemed to give way beneath her. The shadows grew closer, their presence more menacing, until—

"Katherine! Katherine!"

Katherine jolted awake, her body trembling, heart hammering against her ribcage. She blinked, disoriented, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to her like a second skin. She struggled to catch her breath. She felt hands grip her shoulders, calling out her name repeatedly. Katherine looked up, her chest heaving heavily as if she had just run ten miles.