Delilah's Pov

"What do you mean she's going back to Velmora with us?"

Celia's voice sliced through the silence like a whip.

I froze where I stood, still trying to process Malric's words. My heart felt like it stopped.

Malric didn't flinch. "I mean what I said." His tone was calm, almost frighteningly so. "It's not a matter of argument. She's coming with us."

Celia's eyes widened in disbelief. "No. No, we are going back there to start a new life, Malric. A new life. You can't bring her into that."

"I've already said it," he replied, his voice steady but low, his expression unreadable. "It's not up for debate."...