---
Chapter 30: Ash and Inheritance
The silence inside the Eastbridge safehouse was almost sacred. Dust floated in golden beams slicing through cracked blinds, catching on the outlines of three figures huddled in the living room—Dante, Aria, and Lira. The world outside might still be spinning, but inside, it felt like time had stopped.
Aria sat on the couch, her face pale, eyes distant. A wet cloth lay limp in her hands, forgotten. Her breath came in shallow, controlled inhales—each one a war she barely won.
Lira hovered nearby, her usual bravado dimmed, replaced by a quiet worry that simmered behind her eyes. And Dante stood at the window, watching the empty street with a tension that vibrated through his shoulders.
No one spoke. Not after what Aria had revealed the night before.
Fr
