Lyla
"I'm not sure. The scent is muddled, like it's being masked or distorted."
Against every instinct screaming at me to flee, I found myself moving toward the kitchen. The blood trail was clear and unmistakable, leading us deeper into the house.
Ramsey stayed close to my side, his body positioned to shield me from whatever we might encounter. Kyren took point, his weapon drawn and ready, while Circe brought up the rear.
As we approached the kitchen doorway, I could hear voices – low, urgent conversation that stopped abruptly as we drew near. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure everyone in the house could hear it, and the twins were moving almost frantically now, as if they too sensed the approaching danger.
Kyren paused at the threshold, holding up a hand to signal us to wait. He peered around the corner carefully, then his entire body went rigid.
"Well," he said, his voice carefully controlled. "This is unexpected."
"What?" I whispered, trying to see around him.
