The whisper disappeared into the darkness.
Elena remained frozen.
Adrian’s hand tightened around hers.
“Did you hear that?”
She nodded.
“It knew my name.”
Before Adrian could answer, a drawer slammed somewhere deeper inside the archive.
He raised his weapon.
“Stay here.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“Elena.”
“I’m not hiding behind you anymore.”
Something in her voice made him stop.
He looked at her for a moment, then lowered the weapon slightly.
“Then stay beside me.”
They moved deeper into the archive.
The shelves became older as they went.
Some records had collapsed completely, their pages scattered across the floor.
Others were sealed inside metal cabinets.
Elena noticed names.
Blackwood.
Harrison.
Ashford.
Vale.
Families she had never heard of.
All connected by
