The scream tore through the silence like a knife.
Viktor spun around.
Bella had collapsed to her knees, both hands clamped over her ears, her entire body trembling violently. Her cat ears were pinned flat against her skull, and her tail thrashed wildly behind her.
Her face was twisted in pain—eyes squeezed shut, teeth clenched so hard her jaw looked ready to shatter.
"Bella!" Viktor lunged toward her, dropping to one knee beside her. His hands hovered over her shoulders, unsure whether to touch her. "What happened?"
She didn't answer. Couldn't answer.
Her whole body convulsed, shaking like she was being electrocuted. Her claws—when had they extended?—dug into the sides of her head hard enough to draw blood.
Thin red lines trickled down from beneath her palms, staining her silver hair.
"We—we need to—" Her voice came out choked, strangled. "Run. We need to—"
Kaida arrived a second later, her sword already half-drawn. "What the hell happened to her?"
