CIARA'S POV

My phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Again and again, her name flashed across the screen.

Mom.

I didn’t need to answer to know what it was about. The healer had probably told them. Maybe even the sentinel too. The whole estate was a mouth that couldn’t keep itself shut.

By the time I reached the gate of our territory, I already knew what I’d find.

The guard posted there stared at me. Not the usual casual glance, not the nod of recognition I was used to. This one was stiff, ...