The moment Lana's hand hovered just above Ms. Nancy's, she jolted awake, breaking free from the nightmare of bloodied concrete and shattered glass at the Capitol. She now found herself in the dim, incense‑scented fortune room, clutching Ms. Nancy's cold fingers.
But something was wrong.
Ms. Nancy's grip tightened with an unnatural strength, veins twisting beneath her skin. Pain radiated up Lana's arm as she tried again and again to pull her hand free. It felt impossible.
Suddenly, Ms. Nancy's eyes snapped open, the whites stained red as though tiny constellations of blood had erupted beneath the surface. Her jaw clenched so hard Lana feared teeth might crack under the pressure. Lana tugged harder, but Ms. Nancy's hold was merciless, her palm growing warmer as though it was burning through Lana's skin.
Then, blood trickled from Ms. Nancy's nose, splattering across Lana's wrist.
Lana flinched as crimson droplets fell, almost hoping the blood might act like oil on ice, helping her slide free. But it didn't work.
Strange guttural sounds escaped Ms. Nancy, her head jerking back and forth like a shaken marionette. Beneath the table, the beagle whined and barked fiercely, sensing the terror in the room.
Desperate, Lana slammed her free hand against the edge of the table, pushing with all her strength. Finally, Ms. Nancy's grip slackened just enough — but it wasn't quite enough.
Then a firm hand seized Lana's wrist.
"Easy," came a calm, warm voice.
Adrian stood beside her, eyes steady and focused. In one smooth motion, he put his other hand over Ms. Nancy's, and with a gentle but decisive effort, forced her to release Lana's wrist.
Lana drew her hand back and stared at it in shock — deep scratches and angry welts now marred her skin.
Ms. Nancy sagged backward, blood trickling from the sides of her mouth, her gaze wild as she stared at Adrian with a mixture of fear and awe.
"You…" she croaked, shaking as she pointed a trembling finger at Adrian. "Who are you?"
Lana, still catching her breath, tried to speak, "Ms. Nancy, are you alright —"
But Ms. Nancy cut her off, shouting at Adrian, her voice shaking with something that felt almost supernatural.
"You have something dead inside you, something black and hungry, calling out like a lost child! You are a force of destruction, a machine of ruin! I hear gears turning… wheels spinning!"
She trembled as if every word was tearing her apart. Then, from somewhere in the room, she produced two twenty‑dollar bills and flung them toward Lana.
"Take them! I don't want your money! I don't want anything to do with you," she cried, her gaze darting toward Adrian. "There's a monster in your heart, something that could drag this world into the abyss! Leave now!"
Lana glanced at Adrian, then turned back toward Ms. Nancy. "Ms. Nancy, are you sure you're okay?"
"Don't come near me! Please, leave! Just leave!" she begged, her voice cracking, echoed by the beagle's frantic barking.
At that moment, a soft cry rose — loud and insistent. Rachel, cradled in Adrian's arms, had woken up. Her forehead creased with concern, she whimpered again, sensing the tension in the room.
Adrian met Lana's eyes. "We should go."
He had seen what Lana saw — but there was more to it in his vision. The future wasn't impossible; just improbable. Still, the warning rumbled in his mind.
As he reached for the door, a thought flickered in his mind.
Lana looked pale with worry. "Adrian…"
He paused, glancing down at Rachel, whose purple eyes reflected her exhaustion and unease. "She's your brother's niece too, Lana."
Lana's breath caught, and tears sprung unbidden to her eyes. She stepped closer and hugged Adrian, her voice quivering.
"I just can't accept that future. I can't imagine a world where you become an enemy to everyone we know… to the world."
Adrian didn't pull away. Instead, he watched the shadows outside the window fall long and still as he considered the battles ahead. She saw loss. He saw war.
But neither of them would stand still.
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