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Chapter 37: The Empty Room

Author: Sandra Morgan
last update publish date: 2026-09-07 20:49:55

DERICK'S POV

The note hung from the hoodie's sleeve like a flag of surrender that wasn't surrender at all. It was a challenge. A dare. The words burned into my vision even after I looked away.

Now come find me before I finish what Eli started.

"What does that mean?" Leo asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "What did Eli start?"

Ciel hadn't moved since we'd entered the room. He stood near the bed, staring at the photographs on the wall, his face pale as the moonlight spilling through the ope
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  • The Ice Between Us    Chapter 49: The Fear and the Want

    DERICK'S POVWarren's finger hovered over the remote.The rink was silent except for the hum of the old compressor and the distant sound of that engine getting closer. Ciel's hand was cold in mine, his body pressed against my back like he was trying to shield me from what was coming."You have ten seconds," Warren said. "Give me the evidence, and I'll let you walk away. Refuse, and your father and Eli become collateral damage."I could feel Ciel trembling against me. Not from fear. From rage."You're lying," Ciel said. "You wouldn't blow up the cabin. The evidence is in there. You need it."Warren's smile didn't waver. "I don't need the evidence. I need it destroyed. There's a difference."The engine outside grew louder. Headlights swept across the rink windows, cutting through the dim light. Warren's eyes flicked toward the sound, just for a second.That was all I needed.I lunged.My shoulder caught Warren in the chest, sending us both crashing onto the ice. The remote flew from his

  • The Ice Between Us    Chapter 48: No More Pretending

    DERICK'S POVThe figure on the ice was gone before I could blink.I stood on the porch, my heart pounding, staring at the empty stretch of frozen lake where someone had been standing just moments before. The sun had dipped below the treeline, casting long shadows across the snow. There was no sign of anyone. No footprints. Nothing."Derick?" Ciel's voice pulled me back. "What is it?"I turned to look at him. His silver hair caught the fading light, his gray eyes searching my face. He looked tired, worn down by everything we'd learned today. But beneath the exhaustion, there was something new. A fire I hadn't seen before."Nothing," I said. "Just thought I saw something."He stepped onto the porch beside me, following my gaze to the lake. "What kind of something?""A person. On the ice. They waved at me."Ciel's expression didn't change, but I saw his jaw tighten. "Warren?""I don't know. They were too far away."He was quiet for a moment. Then he reached out and took my hand. "We'll d

  • The Ice Between Us    Chapter 47: The Rebuilding

    CIEL'S POVThe car ride to the cabin took longer than expected. The roads were slick with ice, and my father drove slowly, his hands gripping the wheel like he was afraid the car might disappear if he let go. I sat in the back seat with Derick, my hand in his, my mind still reeling from everything he'd told us.A sister. A twin. Dead before I could even remember her.I wanted to ask more questions. I wanted to demand answers. But every time I opened my mouth, the words caught in my throat. So I just stared out the window, watching the frozen landscape blur past, and tried to process the impossible.Derick squeezed my hand. "You okay?""No." I looked at him. "But I will be."He didn't push. He just held on.We stopped at a small motel about an hour from Lake Placid. My father said we needed rest before facing Eli. I didn't argue. I was too tired to fight, too hollow to think.The room was small and cold, with two beds and a radiator that barely worked. Leo and Jess took one bed. Derick

  • The Ice Between Us    Chapter 46: The Severing

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  • The Ice Between Us    Chapter 45: The Stand

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  • The Ice Between Us    Chapter 44: The Floor Beneath the Ice

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