The heavy silence of the library was shattered by the shrill, persistent ring of Czar’s private phone. The sound cut through the suffocating tension like a blade, forcing Czar to pull back just inches from Seraphina’s lips.
He let out a jagged, guttural curse, his forehead resting against the door next to her head. He snatched the phone from his pocket. The caller ID made his grip tighten until his knuckles turned white.
"Stay here," he ordered Seraphina, his voice a low, rough warning. He stepped back, the loss of his proximity leaving her feeling cold and breathless, her heart still thrumming a frantic rhythm against her ribs.
He swiped the screen and put it to his ear. He didn't even have to say hello; Helena’s voice exploded through the speaker, trembling with a rare, cold rage.
"A
