Chapter 253— We Built It!

A knock sounded on our door early the next morning.

Julian stilled beside me before I even turned. I felt it through the bond before I saw it, the subtle tightening in his chest, the quiet shift in his breathing.

“Hey,” I said. “Relax. It's just a knock.”

His eyes dimmed. “No, Raven. It feels like bad news.”

I watched as he got out of bed to go open the door. Two guards stepped in. Their heads dipped slightly in respect, but their eyes…

Their ...