Masuk“Grieving.”Ivy blinked. “What does that mean?”“It’s… What I did for your mom.” His throat tightened. “What I did for you for a while, too.”“That doesn’t really make sense.”“It won’t,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. This time, she didn’t flinch away, which came as a relief. “Not until
Kade’s POVKade, Tyler, and the others didn’t return to Nightshade for two days after they left Elena behind.Each step of the way, Kade considered turning back for her. Multiple times, he had considered marching back there and scooping her up into his arms and forcing her to return with him, even k
Eventually, the floor was as clean as it would get given the circumstances. I dumped the muddy-looking water out into the pond, then scrubbed my hands, arms, and face in the sink.Exhaustion took over me by then. I flopped onto the rickety cot without thinking twice and slept.When I woke the next m
Elena’s POVI must have sat in that spot on the porch for hours. Hell, it could have been days, and I might not have even noticed.The passage of time lost all meaning. The sun rose, turning the swamp hot and fetid with the scents of still water and rotting wood. The sun reached its zenith and the f
Kade walked up to her. He didn’t sit. He got the sense that she didn’t want that. Instead, he just let her stare at Ivy. Then down at her hands. Then at Ivy again.“It’s not your fault,” he said after a long moment.Elena didn’t answer. She just blinked, then looked back out over the swamp.Just the
Kade’s POVThe shack was quiet except for Nellie, who was making a small, whimpering sound from her chair. Kade looked at her once, then looked away.Wordlessly, Elena crossed the room and dropped to her knees beside Lana. She gathered her up, both arms pulling her close, and rocked her friend back
Kade’s POVAt first, Kade had been terrified and furious. Someone had tried to hurt his child—and that someone had been the very woman who was supposed to be gone by now! But seeing Elena’s face, so hopeful, so terrified, streaked with dirt and tears… It made something crack inside of Kade’s chest b
…Serena’s POVSerena stared at Kade’s retreating form, feeling something ugly and hateful twist in her chest as she watched him go.Her wedding was ruined. The hem of the beautiful dress she had designed herself was covered in dirt from the bottom of this putrid cellar and her special day was being
“Debbie!” Kade was kneeling over her, trying to pin her to the bed by her shoulders, but it was no use. Her hand shot out and grabbed a cup on her bedside table, which she hurled at his head.Kade, Serena, and I just barely ducked in time. The cup sailed past all three of us before finally crashing
Elena’s POVI followed Nellie out of the room and down the stairs. The house was buzzing with activity as servants prepared for the wedding, but perhaps that was a good thing—no one noticed us as we rushed out through the servants’ entrance at the back of the house.“Where are we going?” I asked as







