CHAPTER 30: SHADOWS IN THE GRASS
We rolled back into the valley as dusk blushed soft pink and deep violet over the western peaks, the small iron rivet from the border mill tied tight to Kael’s vest, clinking faintly against his zipper with every dip and rise of the road. The compound gates stood wide exactly as we’d left them, warm string lights strung along the fence posts glowing through the gathering dark, and riders called out greetings from the porch — but Jax slowed his bike abruptly, raised a fist high to signal silence, and cut his engine before we even reached the yard.
“Something’s off,” he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his handlebars, his voice low and sharp. “The outer perimeter sensors tripped an hour ago. Three separate posts along the southern treeline, all w
