g. Elira found herself caught between two worlds-the quiet anonymity of

cup of coffee she poured, every polite exchange with Jenna, felt like a f

o hear his voice, didn't want to be pulled back

lone in her dimly lit apa

lashed on

ated, the

was low, urgent. "We n

aw. "Why? What mor

dn't tell you. Somethin

ounded. "Fi

r again. Tom

, the same place where secrets had be

ting, his expres

he handed her

folded. They were from his late mother, a

ed as she unfolded

is, it means you have found Elira. Kno

acy Kaelan had fought to protect. They revealed a darker side

e man she hated was a p

silence. "I wanted to p

yes. "Why didn't you

afraid. Afrai

this man, so compl

'm alrea

lly letting his hand

s," he whispered. "Not when

eight of the secret they s

ast was not just something to escape fr

moved on, indifferent to the storm raging inside her. The letters Kaelan had given her were spread

, each sentence a thread pulling her deeper

cle..." one letter read. "She carries t

odl

o

h meaning, but

r-the one secret she had kept even from herself until now.

what did that mean, truly? Could she trust t

door startled her

Kaelan standing there,

ore she could respond. "I know I don't deser

unable to hide the flicker of

oom, the tension thick but tempe

g," Elira demanded

mily has enemies-powerful ones. They wanted to control what I i

just one person. How

ne. You carry strengt

k as the weight of his w

hard. "And if I

r hand in his. "Then I'll sta

n months, Elira allo

re never far behind, lurking at

ights flickered, mirrorin

kness-two fractured souls se