The silence that followed was heavy enough to crush diamonds. Samantha could hear her own heartbeat thundering in her ears, each pulse a reminder of how far they still were from finding Kai.
Marcus's expression had gone predatory in the way that meant someone was about to have a very bad day. "Older than the realms," he repeated slowly, as if testing the words for truthfulness. "And yet here you are, hiding in a townhouse between a laundromat and a doorknob shop. Forgive me if I'm not immediately intimidated."
Morwenna's laugh was sharp and brittle. "You should be. We all should be."
She looked up at them, and Samantha was struck by how young she seemed—until she saw the witch's eyes.
Those eyes had seen centuries pass, had witnessed things that would break lesser minds. "But you're right to be suspicious. Because I'm not with them anymore."
The admission carved through the silence like a dirge in a churchyard.
