Chapter 56 — When the Ground Swallows You
The world broke.
Not slowly.
Not gently.
It split open with a violent roar, the floor beneath Kiera's feet shattering like glass. She screamed Leo's name as the ground gave way, instinctively curling her body around him as they fell.
"KIERA!"
Kade's voice tore through the chaos, raw and desperate.
Her fingers brushed his hand for a split second—just a heartbeat of contact—before the floor ripped them apart.
Darkness swallowed her.
She hit something hard, pain exploding up her spine as she rolled, gripping Leo tightly to her chest. Dust filled her lungs. Concrete scraped her skin. Somewhere above, metal screamed as beams collapsed.
Then—silence.
A thick, crushing silence broken only by Leo's sobbing.
Kiera coughed violently, forcing air into her burning lungs. Her body ached everywhere, but the pain didn't matter. She pushed herself up despite the protest from every muscle.
"Leo," she gasped. "Leo, talk to me."
