"As you've read," he began, voice clipped and serious, "Newhold was wiped out earlier this week by a strange phenomenon. We believe it to be the same force responsible for the destruction of Velmara and Claywall three years ago."
His words hung in the air like a stormcloud, heavy and suffocating. Though he maintained a composed exterior, those paying close attention might have noticed the subtle tremor beneath his tone.
But Michael was not one of them—at least not right now.
The shock had numbed him. Another town? Just like Velmara…
His breath caught as a quiet dread began curling in his gut. Rudy's home. His home. They hadn't been isolated cases.
"What happened?" Mason asked, breaking the silence with a grim expression. "How does an entire town vanish overnight?"
