Masuk“Do you remember what he looked like?”“It’s all a blur. Sorry.”I nodded slowly, looking around again. I spotted Max on the other side of the yard, returning to his work with a group of other males.“What’s the labor for?” I asked. “Are we building something?”“We think it’s for an army. The stone
Natalia’s POVBy the end of the first hour, my shoulders were burning and my palms had gone from sore to numb. The rock I’d been assigned to break with a heavy pickaxe was dense and black, and I was expected to break it into small pieces, then place them on a large wagon. One of those awful gray thi
A pair of figures crossed our path as we walked across the roadway. We fell into step behind them naturally, matching their pace. Neither of them looked back.The water trough was near the center of the settlement. I spotted a short line of people standing in front of it. It wasn’t running water, bu
Natalia’s POVI jerked awake with a gasp.The red sky was the same as it always was. Max was curled on his side a few feet away, still asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. Nothing had moved. Nothing had changed.I pressed my hand flat against the ground and steadied my breathing.The vision
Natalia’s POVThe report came back the following morning. I’d hardly slept that night, which was strange for me; usually, sleep came quickly and efficiently, serving purely as a means to regain my energy for another day of hard work.But last night, I kept tossing and turning. That pull in my chest
“It’s no use!” I heard her voice call after me. “He’s already gone, you stupid bitch! He’s not who you think he is anymore! You’ll all die here!”Her words struck me somewhere deep and painful, but I kept running. We didn’t stop until the hovel was well out of sight. Only then, once we were certain
The fight was brutal from the start. Neither of them pulled their punches. They collided in the center of the ring, fists flying, bodies twisting to avoid blows. Damon landed the first solid hit, a jab to Andrei’s ribs that made him grunt. But Andrei countered with a swift kick that caught Damon in
Over the next several days, preparations for the festival consumed my time. I met with local food vendors, coordinated with the wineries, and helped mark out the event grounds. The work was a welcome distraction from the emptiness of the house without the twins.I didn’t see Andrei much during this
NataliaI could do nothing but watch as Andrei effortlessly hefted the beam onto his shoulder. He lifted it like it weighed nothing, muscles bunching beneath the tight fabric of his shirt. It took all of my willpower not to think about how those muscles had been pressed up against me not long ago.“
Natalia & AndreiNataliaThe house was too quiet without the twins in it.It had only been a few days since they’d left with Grace, but it felt like an eternity. I kept catching myself listening for their footsteps, or turning around expecting to see one of them standing there only to find the space







