Alina’s POV

The safe house walls pressed in around me like they were breathing, like every exhale carried the weight of all the things I couldn’t say. Concrete. Cold. Unforgiving. Exactly like Dante.

Adrian’s laughter still clung to the air, even after Dante shoved Barry back, even after his own blood choked the sound into silence. It echoed in my chest, wrapping tight around my ribs until I could barely breathe.

She’ll be the ash left behind.

He said it like a promise.

And for one horrible, traitorous second, I believed him.

I wrapped my arms around myself, nails digging into the thin fabric of my shirt. Barry was pacing,...