Darien
The feather burned in my pocket like a brand, a reminder of threats I couldn't afford to ignore. I stood at the base of the stairs, staring up into the darkness where Leah had disappeared, my jaw tight.
A warning. That's what it was. Clear as the winter sky. Someone knew she was here. Someone was watching. And that someone wanted me to know they could reach her whenever they pleased. Unfortunately ... I knew who.
I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly through my nose. The wind hadn't been natural. Nothing about it had been. The way it tore through the room, predatory and purposeful, seeking her out like a living thing. I'd felt the magic in it, ancient and hostile, the kind that didn't belong in this realm but clawed its way through anyway.
What I didn’t know was why she'
