The forest was a wall of darkness.
Ronan had left briefly to assemble a second scouting team. Celeste stayed behind, her blade never far from her hand. Ari crouched near the last trace of Luca’s communicator, her fingers brushing the disturbed soil. Her instincts screamed that time was running out.
She stared ahead, past the thicket and overgrown brush, until the forest whispered a memory.
Two Years Ago – After the Stables
They didn’t speak much after that night behind the Sinclair stables. Luca hadn’t told her everything—but he’d said enough.
Seraphine.
The name alone had chilled Ari. She didn’t know what kind of power the woman held, but she saw what it had done to Luca. He hadn’t just been beaten. He had been marked.
The very next day, they ran.
They didn’t have many options aft
