Valtira.
I clutched Raven so tightly in front of me that she became my shield, my barrier, my last line of defense against the storm standing behind us.
As though she could protect me from him.
From the weight of his presence.
From the heat of his hand still lingering against my skin.
It felt as though that single touch had burned through layers I had spent years building. Ripples traveled through my body long after he had loosened his grip. Every nerve felt awakened, painfully alive. The fine hairs along my arms stood upright, betraying me.
This was the first time in years I had heard his voice.
And it had undone me far more than I was prepared to admit.
The chains shifted behind me.
Metal scraping stone.
A sound I would never forget.
When I twisted my head slightly, I saw him
