Elira woke to the scent of him—Damien’s skin, his warmth, the soft pressure of his arm wrapped around her middle like a vow he refused to break.
For a moment, the world was still.
Then her phone buzzed.
She reached over slowly, careful not to wake him.
One message.
Unknown Number: “She’s activated the Vault. You need to choose a side. Now.”
Her chest tightened.
Damien stirred behind her, murmured, “What’s wrong?”
Elira didn’t answer right away. Her mind was racing—Valencia had made her move. And it wasn’t just about blackmail anymore. It was about leverage. Ownership. Bloodlines.
Power.
She finally whispered, “She’s coming after Soren.”
Damien sat up, eyes alert in seconds. “We need to move.”
—
They didn’t tell Soren everything—yet. But Elira needed him close.
She found him a
