I stood rooted to the spot, staring at Cassie crumpled across the studio floor, blood spreading dark beneath her. My pulse thundered in my ears as my mind split in two.

The first instinct was to run. To flee. Because this could be a trap, when it came to Cassie, anything was possible. Every nerve in my body screamed don’t move.

But another thought cut through the panic.

What if it wasn’t a trick?

What if she was truly dying, and I walked away? Could I live with that? Could I ever ...