Page 495 of Axis of Fire

"But the longer it keeps us here, the easier it'll be for it to take control of our minds... and break us."

"Only if we don't break it first," I said.

Part of me wanted to step closer—to see whether the demon would react.

But I couldn't.

Something deep inside me held me back.

Instead, Aaron took the first step.

The demon didn't move.

He took another.

Then a third.

Still nothing.

We all watched in complete silence.

"Huh." Aaron tilted his head slightly. "Maybe I can get even closer."

He started to take another step—

when a sharp crack echoed through the air.

Soft.

Almost quiet.

Yet it sliced through the silence like a blade.

And it was terrifyingly familiar.

A wave of ice seemed to wash over my entire body.

Bone-breaking.

A second later, Aaron's body collapsed to the ground.

His arms and legs twisted into impossible angles.

His neck bent in a way no human neck ever should.

My whole body froze as my mind finally caught up with what I was seeing.

I didn't want to believe it.

But...

No one could survive a neck twisted like that.

"It wasn't me!" Rosalie cried, horror consuming her. She stumbled toward him, only to stop herself, too terrified to get any closer.

My eyes searched desperately for the slightest movement.

Anything.