452 The silence in Lady Margaret’s private study was a stark contrast to the chaos in her mind. She paced back and forth, the hem of her emerald silk gown whispering across the polished floor as she moved. A knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts, and she turned sharply. “Enter!” she ba
453 Marisol shook her head. “Zayne is smarter than that. If he’s doing this, he’ll cover his tracks well. But he’s also reckless when pushed. We can’t outmaneuver him with brute force.” Whitaker’s lips curled into a thin smile. “Then we don’t need to outmaneuver him. We need to make him come to us
454 Zayne moved quickly, shoving papers and weapons into a worn canvas bag. “Zoe, get him up. Now.” Zoe’s gaze met Darwin’s for a fleeting second before she grabbed his arm, helping him to his feet. “Come on, we have to move.” Darwin winced as his raw wrists brushed against her hand. “Where are w
455 The Oakbar brothers grew increasingly impatient, the tension in the cramped hideout palpable. Their voices, once unified, now splintered into sharp, cutting tones. The eldest brother, eyes cold and calculating, paced the room, his steps echoing with frustration. “It’s been too long. We’re riski
456 The suffocating silence stretched thin as the brothers moved about, their voices grating with impatience. Zoe's pulse hammered as she glanced at Darwin, bound and bruised, his eyes flicking up to meet hers with a question that needed no words. Zayne’s voice cut through the room. “Keep watch at
457 Zoe didn’t deny it, her chin lifting defiantly. “This isn’t what we signed up for, Zayne.” “You’ve gone soft,” the eldest brother spat, stepping closer to Zoe, his fury burning brighter than his injury. “You want to end up like him? Because I’ll make sure neither of you sees daylight again.”
458 Whitaker leaned against the edge of the grand oak desk in lady Margaret's study, his expression grim. “They’ve fled, Lady Margaret,” he began, his words cutting through the tense silence. “The Oakbar brothers took Darwin with them before we could close in. Our team found traces of their esca
459 The moon cast a cold, pale light over the forest as King Maelstrom’s team worked quickly to extract Darwin. He was barely conscious, blood seeping from his wounds, but his breaths, shallow and labored, were enough to spur the medics into action. “Stabilize him,” Maelstrom barked, his voice sh