Scarlett’s POV

The night is thick with shadows, the kind that press in against the walls and seem to crawl along the edges of the candlelight. I can hear Kieran’s slow, even breathing from the bed, though every fiber of my being is on high alert. He’s finally asleep, deep in a haze of exhaustion from the attack and healing, but I don’t dare rest. Not tonight.

I pace the room silently, careful not to disturb the flickering lanterns. My eyes, trained to catch the slightest movement, ...