Sage

I pushed through the front door, shoulders aching, eyes burning from too many hours staring at reports and maps. The office had been a battlefield today, with endless calls and territory disputes heating up, and all I wanted was quiet, a drink, maybe with Eve if she was home.

The door wasn’t locked.

I paused on the threshold, hand still on the knob. Unusual. Ellen always locked up when she left, and Eve was meticulous about security. A flicker of alertness cut through the exhaustion. Was Eve back early?

I stepped inside, letting the door click shut behind me, and froze.

Someone was on the couch.

The TV glowed...