Cool, warm breath morphed into a faint mist each time she gasped, the frigid air biting at her skin. Iris felt the numbness creeping into her limbs, the cold seeping deep into her bones. Her head snapped around, eyes wide with fear as she scanned the area, desperate to make sure no one had witnessed what she had just done. Panic clawed at her chest, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts, her neck stinging as though unseen hands were choking her.

Her gaze darted back to the pool, where tiny bubbles surfaced—Autumn’s final breaths. A hiss of disdain escaped Iris's lips as she glared at the water. Maybe Autumn...