CATRIONA

I woke up in the dark, my heart racing, my chest tight. The moonlight spilled across the floor in pale streaks, and next to me, Abriel slept—peaceful, unaware. But I couldn't rest. Not with everything clawing at the edges of my mind.

I turned to look at him, really look at him. His small chest rising and falling in a quiet rhythm, those long lashes casting shadows across his cheeks. I raked my fingers gently through his soft hair, and a tear escaped before I could stop it.

"I couldn’t protect your siblings," I whispered brokenly. "But I will protect you. Even if it means dying."

The memory of...