Niklaus As I stride out to meet Ares, the evening air is crisp against my skin, carrying a sense of urgency that sets my instincts on edge. The call through the mind link had been terse, Ares’s voice was tight with concern, which is odd in itself. Nothing good ever follows a call that comes too s
I’ll leave them alone for the evening after, but that’s how much time I can allow before my mother starts asking questions. We arrive at the hotel and reach Verena’s apartment door just as Shelby arrives. She gives me a nod, her expression serious, understanding the gravity of the situation without
Verena The look on my mothers face holds so many questions, but none I am prepared to answer right now. Last night I nearly lost her. The last thing I want to do is to answer the questions I know she has about me and Niklaus. Not that I can give her any answers anyway, because I don’t know the ans
“Mom!” I scream, leaping to my feet, the teacup shattering on the floor. Panic and disbelief war within me as I rush to her side, my hands pressing against the wound in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. Her eyes meet mine, filled with pain and an apology she doesn’t need to voice. “Run, Verena
Niklaus She’s fallen asleep in my arms, the last thing I expected her to do or find comfort in. The more I pursue her, the more she pushes me away; so why am I the only one who could keep her calm enough to give us an explanation to what happened? Curled up on her side in my guest room, she asked
Niklaus When I open the door to her bedroom, she’s sitting up with her head bowed. She’s looking down at her hands as if she were trying to make sense of something, and when she looks up at me, a tear slipped down her cheek. “I’m sorry,” she says with a trembling bottom lip. “I thought I was done
Verena Lying here in the silence of Niklaus’ guest bedroom, the world outside seems both distant and pressing, a paradox that mirrors the turmoil swirling inside me. My mother’s words, those cryptic messages delivered with her last breaths, hang in the air like a fog I can’t navigate through. The
And to what end? But as I steel myself for what’s to come, I can’t deny the ache in my heart. The longing for someone to share this burden with. Niklaus has been a steadfast presence, a source of strength I didn’t know I needed. His support, his quiet understanding, it’s become something I’ve come