The big house didn't feel like a home anymore, not even the fancy trap Dante had made for her. It seemed to get smaller every day, with the marble walls closing in and making her feel trapped. Outside, the war was getting louder, and its sounds were coming in through cracks that the guards couldn't block. Sometimes, the sound of guns would travel across the hills, like sharp cracks in the night that broke the silence. Even after the sounds went away, they still left a mark, reminding Isla that death was waiting just outside.
Every new story about an attack made Dante feel like he was hurt again, making the worry inside him even stronger. And with every small piece of news about betrayal or attacks, he controlled her world even more.
