POV: Alex
Mia hadn’t spoken since I carried her back from the forest.
She sat curled in one of the deep armchairs by the fire, my coat still wrapped tightly around her. Her skin was pale, damp with cold sweat, the curve of her spine pulled in like she was bracing against a blow. The flames threw shadows across her face, highlighting the faint bruises where I’d held her down. Not hard enough to harm, but enough to restrain.
It hadn’t been a fight.
It had been survival.
Mine. And hers.
Across the room, Hugo stood with his arms crossed, jaw tense, eyes locked on her like he still didn’t trust that the assassin inside her had truly gone dormant. I didn’t blame him.
I didn’t fully trust it either.
Kelly entered silently, dropping a rolled-up set of schematics onto the table in front of
