The silence between us felt heavier than the chains I had just broken.
We had not gone far. Ronan had left us in a smaller chamber not far from the war room, saying nothing more than, “Stay alive,” before disappearing like he always did. The door was closed. The walls were thick. No guards stood inside. Just us.
Me.
And Darius.
I lowered him carefully onto the stone bench along the wall, supporting his weight as gently as I could. His body was still too warm, his skin damp with sweat. The dark veins along his neck had spread further. I could see them clearly now, crawling like something alive beneath his skin.
My chest tightened.
He was getting worse.
I stepped back slowly, creating space between us. I needed to think. I needed to breathe. But even with distance, I could still feel
