CARMEN Clearer this time. Her voice was stronger than before, but there was genuine pleading and panic in her as she spoke. ‘Don’t leave mate! We need him.’ I froze. ‘You can trust them. They serve us.’ My breath hitched. ‘Don’t leave him. He will protect us.’ She said again. Tim. The word echoed without being said. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, like that might block it out. What was that? Am I imagining things? Is something happening to me? Was I really losing control? Or— Is this what the others called their other side? Their other side? My chest rose and fell too fast, caught between panic and some emotion I couldn't identify. Beast’s voice cut through it all. It was surprisingly grounding. “As I stated,” he said, drawing my attention back whether I wanted it or

