Chapter 278

-Ava’s POV-

The fight drained out of me in an instant.

Crystal was barely breathing, her chest rising and falling too fast, too erratic. The blood trailing down her legs was stark against her pale skin, a horrifying contrast to the water pooling beneath us.

My instincts kicked in before I could even think. I moved toward her, reaching out. “Crystal-

“Don’t touch me!” She screamed.

Her voice was raw, filled with something I couldn’t name. She stumbled back, her feet slipping against the wet floor, and before she could catch herself, she lost her footing.

She fell.

Hard.

Her back hit the metal floor with a sickening thud, a choked gasp escaping her lips. She tried to push herself up, but another sharp breath wracked through her body, her arms trembling beneath her.

“Crystal, stop!” I said, stepping closer, my hands outstretched, “Let me help you-

She lashed out.

Claws slicing through the air, missing my face by inches, Don’t touch me!” she shrieked, her voice even louder this time, raw and unhinged.

I flinched but didn’t back away.

“You’re bleeding,” I said, desperation creeping into my voice. “Crystal, you need to stop moving–I can help you!”

Another wild slash. Another scream. “I said stay away!”

Her whole body was shaking now, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The blood–there was so much of it. It mixed with the seawater sloshing against the metal floor, turning everything into a mess of red and black.

“Please,” I begged, my voice softer this time, “Just let me help you.”

Something in her face cracked.

Her lips parted slightly, her brows drawing together–but then the ship swayed again, harder this time, knocking me off

balance.

An explosion ripped through the air.

The sound of metal groaning, something bursting in the distance. The ship shuddered beneath us like a wounded beast.

Somewhere far away, I heard my name.

“Ava!”

The voice was familiar, urgent, but I couldn’t look away.

Crystal still had that wide, unfocused look in her eyes. Her hands clutched at her stomach, pressing hard against the stained fabric of her dress. Her lips trembled, her breath shallow.

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And then, barely above a whisper, she kept repeating the same name over and over again.

“Dylan… Dylan… Dylan..”

Terror flickered through me.

Not for myself.

Not even for her.

But for the life she was losing.

And for the fact that she didn’t seem to care.

“Ava!”

the chaos like a

Grayson.

couldn’t answer.

was still staring

shaking hands clawed at the water pooling around her like she was searching for something just beyond her reach. Her fingers curled and uncurled, slipping through the liquid like she thought she could

back so fast she nearly slipped again. Her back hit

wrapped

Strong, steady hands.

a split second, pure instinct, but a low growl rumbled from behind me, vibrating through my spine, through my

wasn’t

Grayson.

stark contrast to the freezing air around us, “You’re okay,”

Another explosion.

Louder. Closer.

fire ripped through the lower decks. The floor vibrated beneath my knees, shaking, shifting, the scent of smoke

need to get

move. “Crystal,” I

His hands loosened just slightly as his gaze flicked

a shot rang

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Chapter 278

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him!” She screamed, her voice breaking as she dragged herself upright. Her hands were slick with blood–her blood—but she didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe

rising and falling too fast, her body shaking violently. But

Wild.

Empty.

Consuming.

hot, too fast, and now there was nothing left but embers and smoke. Her hands trembled

going to

Bang.

behind

hit the wall behind us.

Bang.

wide, ricocheting somewhere deeper into the burning

my wrist, yanking me back as Crystal kept firing, each

She was breaking.

was nothing I

eyes as I stared

last, agonizing time.

I let Grayson pull me away.

We ran.

thick smoke. Through

the strain. Another explosion ripped through the air, fire flashing somewhere beneath us.

gasped, lungs burning. “Is Dylan

didn’t stop moving. His grip on my wrist never loosened, his pace

Another explosion.

out from under me as we turned a corner. The

managed to get

down,” Grayson said,

then it

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Chapter 278

Rickon.

lost his grip on me, “Rickon!” I gasped. “He–he fell

under his breath. “Ava, we

him, gripping his arm with both hands, “We have to find him!”

clenched his jaw, muscles tensing. For a split second, I thought he was going to argue.

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the air, shaking the entire ship so violently that I swore I

wasn’t much

Grayson knew it.

hand again. “Come on!”

And we ran.

the chaos. The ship was dying around us, fire and water consuming everything in its path. Every breath was agony, every second another reminder that we were running out

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