Riley POV
Night settled over the McKinnley estate like a velvet cloak, soft and quiet, yet heavy with unspoken secrets. Moonlight poured through Riley’s window, casting pale stripes across her floor and illuminating the storm inside her far more clearly than the peaceful grounds outside ever could.
She stood motionless by the window, watching the shadows sway with the wind. Every whisper of the leaves felt like a reminder—her life was no longer ordinary. It hadn’t been since the moment she learned who she truly was.
And yet…
Something still felt missing.
Turning away, Riley crossed her room and sat at her desk. Books lay scattered across its surface—some ancient and cracked with age, others newer but filled with just as many mysteries. She traced the faded ink with her fingertips, try
