The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, cloaking the world in a velvety shroud of darkness. Brielle stood on the balcony, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she gazed out over the sprawling grounds of the estate.

The once immaculate gardens lay in ruins, their lush greenery trampled and torn in the wake of the vicious battle that had unfolded only hours earlier. Remnants of shattered stone and splintered wood littered the landscape, grim reminders of the violence that had threatened to tear their world asunder.

A cool breeze whispered through the night, carrying with it the faint, metallic tang of spilled blood. Brielle shuddered, her grip...