Chapter 128

Serena POV

I pressed my fingers tighter around the nail and pulled again, gritting my teeth. It didn’t move… not even a little.

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath. My palms were slick with sweat, with my arms ached, but I didn’t stop.

Every time I thought the nail was about to budge, it didn’t. It was buried deeper into the woods than I’d first thought. My nails scraped against the frame with my knuckles burning as I tugged. I tried twisting it, wiggling it, even biting my lip so hard it nearly bled just to keep from making too much noise.

Footsteps passed by the door, and I froze instantly, pressing my back to the wall and holding my breath, and my heart pounded so loud I thought they might hear it.

The steps faded away slowly.

I let out a slow sigh of relief and went back to work, yanking and twisting the nail like my life depended on it, because it did.

Minutes passed… or maybe hours. I couldn’t tell anymore. My arms shook with