CIARA'S POV
My phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Again and again, her name flashed across the screen.
Mom.
I didn’t need to answer to know what it was about. The healer had probably told them. Maybe even the sentinel too. The whole estate was a mouth that couldn’t keep itself shut.
By the time I reached the gate of our territory, I already knew what I’d find.
The guard posted there stared at me. Not the usual casual glance, not the nod of recognition I was used to. This one was stiff, overly alert, like I had sprouted a second head since the last time he saw me. He opened the gate, no words spoken. Just a look that confirmed my suspicions.
The drive in was short, but not short enough to avoid the tension building in my chest. And there they were, standing by the foyer. My parents. My mot
