Chapter 130: Bound by Shadows

Caitlin lifted her face to the sky, the soft light of the stars reflecting in the tears that traced her cheeks. Her throat felt raw and parched, as if she'd been screaming internally for hours, though no sound had escaped her. Her chest tightened painfully, and with each ragged breath, the weight of the truth settled deeper into her soul. If her father had been like Zen, a creature tainted with something dark and unnatural, then Zen had simply finished the curse her parent had begun. The blood tests hadn’t been wrong. Her blood was a perfect match with Zen's. She shuddered, her body trembling uncontrollably as she fought to keep her composure. Caitlin was always the rational one, the one who could find a way through any situation, no matter how terrifying. She prided herself on that, on her ability to stay calm in the face of chaos. So why was her mind unraveling now? Why couldn’t she think straight? "Get a grip," she whispered hoarsely to herself, trying to impose some semblance of