Chapter 25 The Edge Of Darkness

• Adrian tightened his grip on the gun, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap. The footsteps outside the library door grew louder, more deliberate, each tap of the soles an unspoken challenge. His jaw clenched as he took a step forward, placing himself between Sophia and the danger creeping ever closer.
• Sophia’s voice wavered behind him, low but urgent. “Adrian, we can’t just wait here. We need to—”
• “I know,” he cut her off, his tone sharp but not unkind. His eyes scanned the room, calculating. “This isn’t about fighting. It’s about control. They’re trying to rattle us.”