Chapter 235

The cold blade pressed against her throat, its chill seeming to seep through her skin and into her body, transforming into invisible hands that clenched tightly around her heart.

No pale words were necessary. The fear rising unbidden from the depths of her mind washed everything else away, leaving nothing but blankness.

If this had been any other situation, the boy’s polite greeting might have sounded like a routine announcement about a change of train crew.