98: Shields of Steel

EMILY

Dread filled every fiber of my being, escalating with each passing moment. The presence of an unidentified and potentially dangerous entity outside had instilled a profound and all-encompassing fear within me. The arduous journey to the cabin, fraught with treacherous snow and ice, had been distressing, but at least Dante had proven himself to be kind and communicative.

However, throughout the entire trip, I had been plagued by worry, unable to relax, particularly because Dante kept glancing into the rearview mirror as if we were being pursued by monsters. It felt as though our lives were in imminent danger.

And now this.

My stomach churned, and my heart raced with the weight of the tragedy that might have unfolded, as well as the knowledge that Rafael had come searching for us. It was difficult to believe that he genuinely cared, considering how little I knew about him now.

Since being forcefully taken from his house, my thoughts had been consumed by the enigmatic and rugge