Kael Maddox’s POV
Darren didn’t hesitate.
But Mira just stood there, trembling.
Darren came rushing back into the room with a bowl of steaming water in one hand and a glowing red-hot iron poker wrapped in a kitchen towel.
His face was drenched in sweat. Fear clung to him like smoke.
I took the iron and set it beside the water. My fingers flexed around the hilt of my blade, the weight of what I was about to do pressing hard in my chest.
But just as I turned back to Nayla
Mira grabbed my wrist.
Tight.
Her hand shook, but her voice was sharp as ever.
“Are you out of your mind?” she cried. “You’re really going to *burn* my daughter?”
“This isn’t about hurting her,” I said, calm but firm. “This is the only chance we have if you don’t want to bury her by sunrise.”
She stared at me, e
