Aurelia’s POV
I feel the warehouse closing in around me, the shadows stretching impossibly long as if they’re alive and watching. My heart is racing so much I can feel it in my throat, but I make myself stay still. To breathe.
Julian is next to me, his warmth both a comfort and a weight. Drake hovers in the doorway, his expression inscrutable. And somewhere off in the distance, Mr. Adams’ footsteps recede faintly, a reminder that it isn’t over — not by half.
But none of that is important right now.
Because Julian is staring up at me with those brooding gray eyes, wanting answers I don’t know if I’m prepared to provide.
“You need to tell me why,” he says after a moment, his voice low and firm.
I nod, choking down the lump in my throat. “I know.”
He stands with his arms crossed and hi
