Amelia POV

The hideout did not fall silent, it felt like it tightened the noose on an impending explosion.

That was the only way I could describe it…the air around me compressing and the walls seeming to draw inward as if the entire structure had inhaled and was now holding its breath.

Every Lupari soldier moved with sharpened purpose, their boots striking stone in perfect rhythm and the metal scraping as weapons were adjusted.

Lockdown.

That single word still echoed in my head as ...