Within the hour, they gathered in Nessa's private study. Aria, Cassidy, Nessa, Ezra, and Luca. The room felt smaller with the weight of worry filling it.
Aria told them what she saw. Luca added the information about border sightings. Together, they painted a picture of a predator circling. Patient and persistent. Waiting for the right moment to strike.
"We should have told everyone when the sightings started," Nessa said. She directed the comment at Luca with mild reproach.
"Marcus wanted to be sure before causing alarm," Luca defended. "And now I am telling you."
"The question is what to do about it," Ezra said. "We cannot hunt someone who vanishes the moment we get close. We cannot protect Aria every second of every day. And we cannot live in a state of constant high alert indefinitely."
"So we draw her out," Aria said. "On our terms again, like last time."
"That did not work last time," Cassidy reminded her. "She came, she talked, she left. Nothing was resolved."
