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Suddenly, the shadows beyond the windshield morph into potential threats, while a distant sound is all it takes to trigger my hypervigilance. I check my weapons repeatedly while sweeping the horizon for magical signatures that shouldn't exist.

Hours pass without rest. The crimson moon creeps across the sky at a fraction of its natural rate, each hour darkening another shade toward the violent crimson that will signal its peak while I catalog every possible approach route an enemy could use. My eyes shift constantly between Serenity's sleeping form and the darkness beyond our metal sanctuary.

When a branch snaps in the treeline, I'm out of the vehicle before my conscious mind processes the threat. Wolf senses flood my system as I circle the SUV's perimeter to check for magical residue and scent trails that suggest we've been found.

There is nothing besides the wind through the leaves and the distant thrum of highway traffic—cars streaming out of the city, transporting people smart enough to run from whatever they sensed building in the sky.

But I remain outside for another twenty minutes and review the lot's edges like a territorial animal marking boundaries. My training recognizes the behavior as excessive, but combat discipline holds no power against soul-deep compulsion.

I return to find Serenity stirring, eyes opening to find my face through the windshield. Even half-asleep, she reads the tension in my posture.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, just checking our perimeter."

She sits up slowly, the sharp intelligence that first caught my attention weeks ago guiding her study of my expression. "You look like you haven't slept at all."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not." Her retort is thick with that specific blend of concern and irritation she reserves for my more stubborn moments. "Darius, when's the last time you actually rested?"

I slide back into the driver's seat and avoid her gaze. "Rest is a luxury we can't afford right now."

"That's not an answer."

The truth sits heavy on my tongue—that sleeping means lowering my guard, and every moment I'm not actively protecting her feels like potential catastrophe. The bond between us has transformed basic protective instincts into something approaching obsession.

I have to hold the secret of the soul-bond for now. She is already navigating the immense complexity of being the Vessel and the entity’s influence, and I cannot add another layer to her overloaded mind until she is ready. Adding "cosmic destiny says we're bound for life" to that pile might be the thing that finally breaks her.

So I start the engine and drive toward whatever comes next with the truth sitting in my throat.

23

SERENITY

The highway stretches ahead, a black ribbon unfurling beneath the moon’s darkening red. Darius drives, his effortless control steering the car, but I catch him checking the mirrors every few seconds. His knuckles are white against the steering wheel.

"We have to go to Estella's estate."

His eyes flick toward me. "That's the last place you should be right now. The coven knows where⁠—"

"I don't care," escapes my lips with a sharp edge that catches even me off guard. "Estella's been feeding me half-truths and carefully edited versions of our family history since this started. I know she's still leaving out vital information about the entity's prison, and there's no more time for her protective lies."

"Serenity—"

I turn in my seat to face him fully. "I just vaporized numerous coven assassins, the fight over before I even had to try. Whatever's happening to me is accelerating, and I refuse to stumble through it blind because my aunt thinks ignorance will keep me safe."

Darius's brow furrows into a hard line, but he takes the next exit toward the estate. "If this goes sideways⁠—"

"Then we handle it, like we always do."

The Crowe estate looms against the night sky, its Gothic towers casting jagged shadows across manicured grounds. Most of the windows remain dark, but magical wards shimmer faintly around the perimeter, a localized, inverted heat haze.

Estella meets us at the front door before we knock, her hair perfectly braided despite the late hour. She wears a midnight-blue dress, its cloth showcasing embroidered protective sigils that seem to move in my peripheral vision.

"Serenity, I felt your magic from miles away." Her sharp eyes shift to Darius. "Both of you look terrible."

"We need to talk." I push past her into the marble foyer. "And this time, I want the truth. All of it."