The villa was shrouded in an unsettling silence, the stillness pressing against Mara’s chest like a leaden weight, more stifling than any cacophony. She padded softly across the expanse of the main hall, her bare feet gliding over the cold, smooth marble floor. A muffled murmuring drew her in, resonating faintly from the east courtyard, a siren call urging her onward.

Stepping outside, she found Damon standing resolute beneath the flickering glow of lanterns, their warm light contrasting ...