Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Realizing the Cost

The aftermath of the attack lingered like a heavy cloud over the school trip. Anita and Jace walked back to the group, their adrenaline fading and leaving exhaustion in its wake. Max and Claire stayed close but remained silent, their eyes betraying the storm of questions brewing in their minds.

The sense of relief was short-lived when they reached the main trail and found a crowd of students gathered around. Panic buzzed in the air.

“What happened?” Anita asked, pushing through the throng.

“Jacob—he’s hurt!” a girl exclaimed, her voice tinged with hysteria.

Anita’s stomach dropped as she spotted Jacob, a quiet kid from her English class, lying on the ground. He was pale, clutching his arm, which was bleeding from a long, jagged gash.

“What did this?” one of the teachers demanded, looking around nervously.

Anita’s heart raced as she realized the truth—one of the spirits must have grazed Jacob during the fight.