Chapter 23: Found - Valeria

I must have fallen asleep on the couch because I’m suddenly woken up by the sound of a scream. I’ve heard more than my fair share of screams in my life, having been the cause of most of them, but this one sent a chill through my spine, straight to the core of my very being, and instantly made my stomach drop. Adrenaline pumps through me and I immediately become alert.

I leap off the couch and run to the sound of Isolde's screams. I find her on the kitchen floor clutching her chest with her face contorted in pain. The sight of it has fear propelling through me in a way I’ve never felt before and I drop to my knees sliding across the tiles and cup her face in my hands, feeling that familiar static shoot through me. My instinct right now is to panic, but I push it down and try to remain calm as I let my training take over and quickly scan the room for any signs of an attacker.

“Izzy? Izzy, speak to me, what’s happening?” I urge her to answer, as she struggles to gasp for air. I should