Chapter 12 – Into the Fire
The words “Then we fight” hung in the air like a vow, cutting through the silence that followed Carter’s cruel command.
Alexander’s grip on Amelia’s wrist tightened, his strength bleeding through despite the crimson staining his shirt. The gash across his ribs burned, every breath a knife, yet his stance was unshakable. His dark eyes flickered with something Amelia hadn’t seen in years—a relentless fire, a refusal to bend even as the storm of enemies closed in.
Carter’s men began to circle, their boots thudding against the wet ground like a drumbeat of doom. The rain hadn’t yet fallen, but the air carried that heavy weight before a storm, as though the heavens themselves were waiting to see who would fall first.
Amelia’s heart pounded in her chest. Fear clawe
