Chapter 67

• SELENE
• My eyes dragged open, heavy with the last scraps of sleep. Beneath my ribs, my heart hammered a frantic rhythm. As I shifted my tongue, a new, sharp point pricked against its soft surface. I ignored it, pushing myself up from the thin mattress. A stretch unraveled the stiffness in my limbs, every movement careful and quiet to avoid waking the others who still slept.
• The walk to the bathroom felt longer than usual, my legs moving through a thick haze. My hand closed on the doorframe, fingers pressing into the wood with a force that surprised me. For a moment, I wondered if I might leave dents behind. A strange new strength hummed under my skin, my mind still clouded and slow.