Am I still shaken from that Rank 8 beast?
Is that why this cold won't leave me?
Rory frowned, unease tightening in her chest even more now.
Just as she turned toward the rest pod, her entire body locked in place as if bound by invisible chains. She tried to call out to Jasper—to warn him, to ask for help—but her lips refused to part. Not a single sound escaped her throat. Her heart skipped a beat.
What… what kind of power is this?
Panic surged violently, threatening to overwhelm her. Rory clenched her teeth and forced herself to breathe, drawing on hard-earned instinct. She couldn't hear anything but her heartbeat, and she needed to come to her senses quickly.
Calm down. The greater the danger, the calmer I must be. Nothing good will come out of panicking.
Even Jasper—Rank 9, with senses honed far beyond most—had noticed nothing. That could only mean one thing.
Whatever this is… it's far stronger than him. Far beyond.
