Mag-log inWarren and Titus wouldn't question or probe Aria or Landon. Instead, they kept their worries and hopes to themselves. They only protected Aria and Landon with unwavering acceptance. The Carver residence's gates slowly closed behind Aria and Landon. It shut out the gentle warmth of the courtyard sunlight, the lingering scent of sandalwood, along with Warren's and Titus' silent care and concern. Landon opened the rear car door, carefully shielding Aria's head as she got in. Once she was seated, he leaned in to close the door gently before getting into the car on the other side.The engine rumbled to life, low and steady. The black sedan pulled away from the narrow alley outside the Carver residence, merging into the flow of traffic and heading off into the distance.It was quiet inside the car. The faint rush of wind outside and the distant hum of passing traffic were muffled by the closed windows, fading into nothing more than background noise.The air conditioning inside the car
Aria came back to herself slowly. She turned her head to look at Landon, but even that small movement seemed to feel heavy and difficult. The cold resolve in her eyes had finally dulled just enough to let her vulnerability and pain bleed through. The rims of her eyes had gone red when her gaze found his. And when she saw the worry and the care on his face, the wall she'd been bracing for so long gave the faintest shudder. Her hands still hadn't stopped trembling. After a moment of silence, she drew in a long breath and shoved the tide of emotion back down. She forced herself to sound composed, but the tremble running through her words betrayed her anyway. With eyes full of determination and grief, she looked up and met Landon's gaze. As she spoke slowly, it sounded as if she was forcing all those words out. "The person we tried to look for in the Netherrealm and couldn't find any traces of him at all was my mentor from my past life." Her throat tightened on the word "mentor", a
Sylas spoke to Thayne. "What's the matter? You got scared when I mentioned Hollowlight Sect, didn't you?" His voice was low and rough, laced with the kind of cold that only came from the deepest parts of the Shadowsteel Realm. Every word hit Thayne's soul like a hammer blow. "You've been sitting in that cage playing mute for a thousand years, and now you finally decide to move? Too bad. You could scream yourself hoarse, and she'd never hear you. "And even if she did, she couldn't save you. All you'd accomplish is giving me one more leash to yank her around with." Thayne's soul convulsed. The faint pulse of energy around him spiked wildly, and more threads of spirit began unraveling from the cracks. He locked his eyes on Sylas with intense hatred, and he poured every last shred of strength he had into his throat. What came out was barely a whisper, but it was hoarse with fury and heartbreak. "Sylas, you monster! This is between you and Hollowlight Sect. You want someone to com
Aria caught herself against the tree trunk to stay on her feet. Her other hand hung at her side in a tight fist, nails buried so deep in her palm that blood had started seeping out. It dripped from her fingertips and left faint red spots on the grass below, but she didn't feel any of it. The agony in her chest had swallowed every other sensation whole. All color had drained from her face, leaving it ashen but steely. Whatever grief had been pooling in her eyes a moment ago was gone now, frozen over and replaced by killing intent. Nearly a thousand years' worth of hatred had been smoldering inside her, and this was the moment it all caught. But she hid all those emotions behind her eyes, refusing to let even a flicker of them show. She knew better than to fall apart right now. Panic and grief were exactly what Sylas wanted, so the more she gave him, the easier she'd get manipulated. She needed to stay calm so that she could get answers and find an opening. It took a long momen
At the Carver residence, the warmth in the courtyard hadn't faded yet. The leaves on the locust tree rustled overhead like a slow song. Sunlight was scattered across the stone table in soft patches, and the smell of the coffee was still drifting through the air. Aria was still taking in the love and understanding from Titus and Warren. She could also still feel the heat from Landon's palm against her skin, and the worry that had been sitting behind her eyes had eased off a little. She was sinking into the quiet of it. Even her breathing had slowed. But right in the middle of all that, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was faint, but clear enough to cut straight through the silence of the courtyard. The soft buzz was hitting her with so much unease. Aria instantly tensed up. The hand around her cup went still, and her fingers, which had only just loosened up, pulled tight again. That heavy feeling she'd managed to shake a few minutes ago came creeping back with more caution. Wi
Landon reached over to check the coffee on the table, then pressed a warm mug into Aria's hands. He said softly, "Drink something warm first." Sam trailed after him and flopped down on the chair beside Aria, curling his small frame into the cushions. He stayed quiet and behaved himself, only sneaking glances up at the elders and then over at Aria every so often. The courtyard went quiet for a beat. All they could hear was the wind moving through the locust tree, with steam rising off the coffee. Warren and Titus shared a look, and each one caught the same thought in the other's eyes. After all, both men had seen enough of life that they didn't need words. They sighed at the same time, heavy with that particular ache grandfathers carry for their grandchildren. Underneath it sat something softer and hopeful. Warren lowered himself back into his chair and picked up his cup, thumbing the rim while he figured out where to start. When he finally spoke, he looked at Aria and Landon wi
Hedeon had just stepped onto the stairs, still riding the dizzying rush of what had happened moments earlier, when a clear, slightly teasing voice rang out behind him. It was the young woman he kept hidden from Sonia.His entire body went rigid, as if dunked in ice. The pride on his face froze an
"I think the old couple is doing this on purpose. Look at this place. It's so far away from everything. They're clearly waiting for some hapless victim to fall for their scam!" another onlooker remarked.He folded his arms, sounding both skeptical and faintly delighted by the unfolding chaos. The
Landon's voice was low and cold. "We're only trying to confirm that Elijah is safe. That's a reasonable request from family, not an obstruction of your work. "Naturally, we hope that no coercive interrogation will be used on Elijah. But if it does, I trust that you'll understand the consequences."
Sylas said nothing, but the air around him grew colder and colder. An invisible chill spread through the courtyard, and even the faint scent of orchids seemed to freeze in place. Jorrell knelt with his head bowed, not daring to look up. The pressure kept building, crushing down on him until he cou







