The air outside the pentagram felt colder, the absence of its protective barrier keenly felt.

My heart raced, but I kept my expression neutral, my eyes never leaving Everett’s.

“Well, here I am,” I said, my voice steady despite the anxiety thrumming in my veins. “Now, tell me—what’s the grand plan, Everett? How do you think this will play out?”

He smiled, a slow, almost lazy curve of his lips that set my nerves on edge.

“That depends on you, Luna. ...