The night air outside the estate was thick with the stench of blood and smoke.
Caroline and Ezra rode hard and fast, leaving Aldric’s ruined home behind. But the weight of his last words hung in the air, pressing against Caroline’s ribs like a blade just waiting to twist.
"Wars don’t end. They just change shape."
She gritted her teeth, forcing the memory out of her mind.
But deep down—she knew he was right.
Ezra rode beside her, his golden eyes flickering in the moonlight.
"So." He stretched lazily in the saddle. "That was unexpected."
Caroline shot him a glare.
"Which part? The assassins? The bounty? The fact that Aldric was still alive? Or the fact that apparently, we just walked into another war?"
Ezra smirked. "All of the above, really."
Caroline exhaled sharply, her mind spi
