POV: Daniel

The tether was unforgiving.

It didn’t spare a single drop of Clara as I sat against the brick wall across from the library.

Pretended to be nothing more than another shadow in this small town. Shadows don’t bleed.

Shadows don’t grind their teeth until blood slicks their tongue. Shadows don’t tear themselves apart with every breath they take.

I did.

Her pulse thrummed too fast, erratic as if she’d just sprinted a mile. Her breath ...