oria

belong to no one. Not you. Not my legacy. An

iss made you brave?" Ronan snarled, stepping betw

men moved. Suddenly, a bla

curity team, guns drawn. "Step back," Dam

ticked. "This

It remembers." And with that, he was gone. I exhaled...shaking, crying, al

oken doorway, his presence thick like a storm about to

e like a guard, his voice h

ink you can stop me, Ronan? Your we

bedsheets. I had tremb

ing beside Ronan, shoulders st

filled with sour humor. "You'll see soon

give him the

and the ro

darkness danced across the walls. I screamed as energy rippled

against the wall,

looked down in fear and

a cabinet. Lucien reached for me, but instinc

lammed into the wall. He stumbled

hissed. "And so is the bond

ping from his face. "You do

e. "We'll see." And then he dis

ed beside Ronan.

ek. "You saved us. That was

"I didn't know

n. "You didn't need to. Y

e ruins, tense. "It's time. She need

dded. "T

foot in the middle, wrapped in soft grey fabric t

warmth inside you." I obeyed, reaching inward. Th

oft pulse of light glowed under

raised my hands, let the warmth rise. A burst

oal. I gaspe

d it," he said. I leaned into

. I'm not leaving." His wo

hanged in the sky. Sweat so

rms when I couldn't stand.

mp hair aside. "You're the str

l strong." He smiled. "But you are

didn't pause. He climbed into

words. Just breath. In his arms, t

t. Close. Ronan stirred

s outside. "She's more powerful than expected. If the council finds

nan demanded. Damien stammered. "It's not what it sounds l

orders. If you lose control, th

shaking. Ronan stood in fron

ey find out we're hiding her,

ed. I folded his hand. My voice s

. But this time, we don't hide. We fight." I no

on the hill behind the estate, two duffel bags slung over our shoulders. My f

s no need. The silence b

nd looked back. The house stood like a dark memo

, eyes only on me. I nodded. "This tim

to a kiss. It was soft at first, then deeper.

mine. "We'll make our own fate, Victoria

an fear." We turned toward the trees, t