Page 147 of The Dark Stranger

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Tight. Heavy.

“When you heal,” I say finally, my voice lower now. “When you’re actually strong enough to stand in it…”

I meet her eyes fully.

“Then we talk.”

She studies me for a long second.

Then gives the smallest nod.

Not agreement.

Not fully.

But enough.

I lean back slightly, still holding her hand.

“For now,” I tell her, “You get stronger.”

Her grip tightens just slightly in mine.

And I feel it.

She’s still scared.

Still processing.

But underneath it now?

She’s ready to burn.

And when the time comes—

I won’t stop her.

14

Inez

I wake up to noise.

Not soft noise. Not distant.

Loud. Sharp. Chaotic.

My eyes snap open, but everything feels… wrong. Heavy. Like my body isn’t fully mine yet. My head pounds, thick and slow, like I’m trying to push through water just to think.

Voices echo somewhere outside the room.

Running. Shouting.

“The auction was hit—move, move!”

“We don’t have time—get them out now!”

My chest tightensinstantly.

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