Caitlyn’s POV

The air inside the house had turned thick, suffocating, as Linda’s words sank in.

My parents had made a pact.

A pact with something ancient. Something not entirely of this world.

I stared at her, my hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. “You’re lying.”

Linda shook her head, her expression tight with regret. “I wish I were.”

The weight of her gaze was unbearable, as if she were staring through me rather than at me. She looked different—older, wearier. The sharp, confident woman I remembered was gone. Now, she seemed like a ghost of herself, burdened by truths too...