The night went silent.
Not peaceful.
Not calm.
Just… empty.
Like something had been taken out of it.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Because right there—
On the cold floor—
Eva lay still.
Her body wasn't broken.
Not torn.
Not destroyed.
That's what made it worse.
She looked… normal.
Too normal.
Like she had just fallen asleep.
Her hair spread slightly across the floor.
Her hand resting near her side—
Fingers still.
No movement.
No warmth.
Zoe was the first to drop.
Her knees hit the ground beside her.
"Eva…?"
Her voice trembled.
She reached out—
Shaking—
And touched her hand.
Cold.
"Eva wake up…"
Nothing.
Nora turned away instantly.
Her chest rising heavily.
"No…"
Her voice broke.
"No, no, no…"
She stepped back—
Like getting closer would make it real.
Julien stood frozen.
Eyes locked on her.
Like if he didn't blink—
She would move.
"She's not…"
He couldn't finish the sentence.
Lucas didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just stood there.
Looking at her.
The same way he had looked at Lana.
But this time—
There was no joke.
No comment.
No escape.
Zoe broke down completely now.
"You said you could control it…"
Her voice shattered.
"You said you were okay…"
A soft wind moved through the broken window.
Lifting a strand of Eva's hair slightly—
Then letting it fall back.
Still.
Nora slowly stepped forward again.
This time—
She knelt beside her.
Carefully.
Like Eva might feel it.
Her hand hovered—
Then gently touched her shoulder.
"Get up…"
A whisper.
Barely there.
"You don't get to leave like this…"
Silence.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
Lucas finally moved.
One step.
Then another.
He stopped near them.
Looking down.
His jaw tightened.
Hard.
"…This wasn't supposed to happen."
His voice was low.
Almost… lost.
Julien clenched his fists.
"HE did this."
Lucas shook his head slowly.
"…No."
A pause.
Then quietly—
"She paid the price."
Zoe cried harder.
Nora didn't move.
Julien turned away.
And Lucas—
Lucas just stood there.
Looking at Eva.
Like he was trying to memorize her.
Outside—
The wind passed through Ashwood again.
Just like the night Lana died.
Cold.
Quiet.
Watching.
And for a moment—
For just one second—
It felt like something was standing in the doorway.
Observing.
Calm.
Unmoved.
Then—
Nothing.
The room stayed the same.
But everything had changed.
Because this time—
They didn't just lose a friend.
They lost the one who came back.
Eva Carter… wasn't coming back again.
Silence didn't last.
It shattered.
Lucas dropped to his knees.
Hard.
Right beside Eva's body.
"NO—"
His voice broke.
Loud.
Raw.
Not controlled.
Not held back.
He grabbed her shoulders.
Shaking her.
"Eva—get up!"
Nothing.
"THIS IS NOT FUNNY!"
His voice cracked again.
Angrier now.
Desperate.
"You don't get to do this—"
He stopped.
His hands tightening.
"…You don't get to leave me like this."
For the first time—
Lucas Kane cried.
Not quietly.
Not holding back.
Completely broken.
"I started with you…"
His voice dropped.
Shaking.
"You were the first one who actually—"
He couldn't finish.
His head lowered.
Tears falling.
"…and now you're gone?"
Julien turned away.
He couldn't watch.
Nora's eyes filled again.
Zoe covered her mouth.
Lucas suddenly stood up.
Anger replacing grief.
Fast.
Violent.
"WHERE IS HE?!"
His voice echoed.
He looked around like he could tear the room apart.
"I SWEAR—if I find him—"
He punched the wall.
Hard.
It cracked instantly.
"I WILL RIP HIM APART!"
But no answer came.
Only silence.
The Spirits Speak
Zoe's breathing changed.
Slow.
Uneven.
Her eyes slowly closed.
Nora noticed immediately.
"Zoe…?"
The air shifted.
Colder.
Heavier.
Different.
Zoe's voice came out—
But it wasn't just hers.
Layered.
Soft.
Ancient.
"You are asking the wrong question…"
Lucas turned instantly.
"What?"
Zoe's head tilted slightly.
"This… has happened before."
Everyone froze.
Julien stepped closer.
"What do you mean?"
Zoe spoke again—
But now clearly not in control.
"The first girl…"
"She did not die by chance."
Nora whispered—
"…Lana?"
Zoe's body trembled.
"She returned."
Silence.
Heavy.
Impossible.
Lucas frowned.
"…What?"
Zoe's voice continued—
"She crossed death… and came back."
Julien shook his head.
"No… that's not—"
"And he saw her."
A pause.
"Just like Eva."
Nora stepped back slowly.
"No…"
Zoe's voice dropped lower.
"He did not kill her."
"He removed what made her… unnatural."
Lucas whispered—
"…her power?"
"Yes."
Zoe's voice softened.
"And then…"
A pause.
Cold.
Sharp.
"He let Kaela finish it."
Silence exploded in the room.
Julien clenched his fists.
"So Lana…"
His voice broke slightly.
"…was just like Eva?"
Zoe's eyes slowly opened.
Tears already falling.
"Yes."
The Realization
Nora looked at Eva's body.
Then whispered—
"That means…"
Lucas finished it.
"…this was always going to happen."
Zoe suddenly looked up again.
Like she heard something new.
Something distant.
Her breathing stopped.
Then—
She started crying harder.
Different this time.
Not just grief.
Shock.
Nora grabbed her.
"What is it?!"
Zoe whispered—
"I can hear them…"
Lucas turned.
"…Who?"
Zoe's voice trembled.
"Eva…"
A pause.
"…and Lana."
Everyone froze.
Julien stepped forward slowly.
"…That's not possible."
Zoe looked at him.
Eyes full of tears.
"They're not gone…"
Her voice cracked.
"They're… somewhere."
Lucas stepped closer now.
Hope and pain mixing together.
"…Can you talk to them?"
Zoe hesitated.
Then whispered—
"…Maybe."
Nora tightened her grip.
"Maybe isn't enough."
Zoe looked down at her hands.
Shaking.
"There's a spell…"
A pause.
"But it's not easy."
Lucas didn't hesitate.
"Do it."
Zoe looked at Eva's body.
Then back at them.
"If I try this…"
Her voice lowered.
"…we might not like what answers."
Silence.
No one backed down.
Lucas spoke quietly.
Firm.
Broken.
"I don't care."
A pause.
"I just want to hear her voice again."
Final Closing
Outside—
The wind moved through Ashwood once more.
Cold.
Watching.
Waiting.
Because this wasn't the end.
Not for Eva.
Not for Lana.
And definitely not—
For him.
Somewhere…
In a place between life and nothing—
Two voices waited.
And something else…
Was already listening.