The silence after Daniel’s words was heavier than stone.
His eyes—wild, burning—shifted between Adrian and me like he was measuring which of us to strike first. My heart thundered so loud it drowned the night. Behind me, Adrian’s body pressed close, steadying me even though I could feel the tremor in his weakened muscles.
Daniel took a slow step forward. The moonlight caught on his jaw, sharp with tension. “You really thought you could hide from me? In my forest? In my house?” His voice dripped venom. “You were always mine, Emma. Always. And yet you dare stand beside him.”
Adrian’s voice cut through the darkness, hoarse but firm. “She’s not yours. She never was.”
Daniel’s eyes flicked to his brother, his lips curling into a twisted smile. “Still playing the hero? Even half-dead, you th
