Helena's POV
A firm hand presses against my lips, jolting me from sleep.
Aria springs to attention inside my mind, her instincts flaring as she prepares for a potential threat.
"Stay quiet. It's just me," Melanie's voice cuts through the darkness of Asher's room, low and tense. My gaze sweeps across her form before landing on the clock beside the bed. The gentle luminescence shows it's two in the morning. When I look back at Melanie, bewilderment washes over me. She's never been awake before midday.
She's fully clothed, but her attire sends confusion rippling through me. Dark leather hugs her frame, and multiple daggers are secured across her chest.
A black covering conceals the bottom portion of her face, and I gulp as I absorb her appearance. Her brown eyes shine like hardened gems, cold and determined.
"What..." I attempt to speak, but her palm muffles my words.
She withdraws her hand, brushing it against her leg as if cleaning away contamination.
"Move. Right now."
