SOPHIA'S POV

The air in Zurich smelled clean, like pine needles and fresh snow. It was the exact opposite of the choking smell of sulfur and burning steel that I had left behind in the city.

From the balcony of our private chalet, high above the sparkling blue water of Lake Zurich, the world looked calm. It was the kind of peace that people spend their whole lives looking for.

I leaned against the wooden railing, holding a hot cup of tea in both hands, and watched the morning sun paint the snowy Alps in soft shades of pink and gold.

Inside the living room, I could hear the warm...