The footsteps echoed through the corridor, each thud deliberate and heavy, a stark contrast to the light, hurried steps of Sophia and Jamie. The hallway seemed to constrict around us, dark shadows curling like fingers reaching for light. Tristan's grip on my hand tightened, his palm warm but firm, a silent promise of protection.
"Stay behind me," he hissed, his body rigid with tension, every muscle coiled like a spring.
Before I could respond, a crash erupted, the shattering of glass at the distant end of the hall, sharp and jarring. My heart soared into my throat, a wild thrumming, and in that dizzying moment, I thought of Mom, safe at home in her blissful ignorance, unaware that I was standing at the precipice of something far darker than she could ever imagine.
"Tristan."
But he was already in motion, pulling me along with urgent determination, his voice a low command. Let's get back to the study,. We will take the action together with Father."
-
Adrenaline surged through me like wildfire, heat coursing in my veins. The enemy had crossed the threshold, and they were inside. That meant one of two things, either betrayal or precision, each as precarious as the other. But either way, the danger was uncomfortably close.
I shoved the study doors open with a force fuelled by instinct and desperation. Inside, Father stood poised, Edward Donovan in his element, a gleaming pistol held carefully in his hand, its polished surface reflecting the dim light. The moment he spotted Ellie, his expression sharpened, an undercurrent of guilt flashing across his face before hardening into unyielding resolve.
"They're here," I snapped, urgency saturating my voice.
Edward's gaze flickered to Ellie. "Get her out of sight. Now."
Ellie straightened, her gaze fierce with determination, defiance mingling with the unmistakable trace of fear in her eyes. "No, I'm staying. If I'm already bait, then hiding won't change a thing."
The room fell into an electric stillness. Even my father seemed caught off guard, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a storm cloud.
"Ellie..." I began, but she cut me off, her voice steady.
"You can't keep pretending I don't belong in this," she asserted, chin lifted, a quiet strength emanating from her. "I'm here, and I refuse to let you fight this alone."
Something twisted inside me. Something intoxicating blend with pride and fear. She was braver than any man I knew, and God help me, I wanted so badly to believe in her resolve. so desperately
Breaking the silence, Edward's voice emerged low and reluctant but laced with respect. "She's right. The girl already has iron in her spine. We'd better use it than waste it."
I shot him a glare, not willing to admit the truth in his words, but Ellie's hand found mine, warm and steady. For the first time, I felt as though I wasn't dragging her into my tumultuous world. It was she who was decisively stepping into it on her own terms.
-
The door rattled again, and another crash resonated, closer this time, reverberating through the very walls around us. My pulse hammered an erratic rhythm, but I refused to let go of Tristan's hand, anchoring me in this chaos.
"Then tell me what to do," I urged, locking eyes with him, desperation mingling with determination. "Make me part of this, not just a burden for you to carry."
Tristan's jaw clenched, and I could see the inner turmoil warring behind his eyes. Finally, he nodded just once, a terse acknowledgement
"Stay sharp. Don't hesitate." His hand brushed my cheek, a fleeting contact that sent a spark of resolve surging through me. "If they touch you, I'll kill them."
The study doors trembled ominously, a shadow slipping beneath the crack, signalling that the threat was no longer lurking outside. It was here, breathing the same air we breathed.
And I was damn ready.