The sound of the explosion still rang in my ears as the flames tore through the barn. The smell of burning wood and gunpowder filled the air. My chest heaved as I crouched behind the crates, trying to see through the smoke.
“Adrian,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Don’t do this.”
He stepped closer, the flickering firelight painting shadows across his face. His clothes were torn, his arm still bandaged from the wound, but there was no warmth in his eyes now. Only silence and control.
Daniel raised his weapon, glaring at him. “You were supposed to be dead.”
Adrian’s gaze shifted slightly. “You should have left when you had the chance.”
“After everything?” Daniel shot back. “After what you did to her?”
Adrian’s jaw tightened. “You don’t understand what this is.”
I stepped forward be
