ubstance that crawled down the bricks in slow, deliberate trails. The ground under their feet, once solid cobblestone, felt soft and spongy, and with

a deafening clang of finality. He clawed at the iron bars, his cries echoing in the unnatura

hifting. The red mist was pretty, catching the faint light from the single flickering lantern above them. The coppery smell was a bit

" she said to no one in particular, l

d at her as if she had grown a second head

aid 'survive the night.' It's a

the quiet strangeness of this new place. She walked forward, away from the gate and towards the massive oak d

had a lovely, iridescent shimmer, like the scales of a fish, and she was draped in what looked like damp, dark green seaweed that dripped a clear, viscous fluid onto the ground. Sh

itely. "We're here abo

sound, a threat meant to instill terror. Her jaw unh

hing! Does your jaw hurt? My grandmother had something

low froze, her gurgle catching in her throat. No one had ever reacted this

itched-together patches of pale, leathery skin. A long, sharp quill made from a dark, jagged bo

ne quill without a hint of hesitation. It felt interesting in her hand, sur

at a large smudge on the page. "You should really get

her name, Luna, in a

raid. She was... polite. And she was treating the Book of the Damned like a hotel check-in sheet. The entity let out another sound, but

said with a warm smile

ittle pat on her damp, scaly arm.

d Grandma Willow and a terrified group of appli

D SHE JUST PAT

t is wrong with this gir

staff doesn't know how to react.

d just witnessed. This girl wasn't just brave. She was operating on a completely different level of rea