Page 6 of Dark Night of the Soul

Guns, ammo, knives, zip ties, cords. He was ready for an all-out war. Then he zipped it up, grabbed it, and handed it to me.

“You’ll need that,” he said.

I eyed the other bag and instantly knew that wasn’t personal effects. It was more weapons.

“I have weapons,” I said.

“Not enough for what’s coming.” His gaze was hard, deadly.

My gaze narrowed. “What do you know that you haven’t said yet?”

“They won’t strike immediately,” he said. “Sebastian wants you off balance. He’s waiting for you to let your guard down.”

But that wasn’t going to happen now that Silas was here to warn me. I started to say this when he continued.

“They won’t come for you first. They want her.”

The words landed like a blade between my ribs.

Not because I hadn’t expected them. But because saying them out loud made the threat real in a way I couldn’t fight with force alone. I’d faced armies. Tyrannical kings. Gods who thought themselves untouchable.

None of them had ever gone after the one thing I couldn’t afford to lose.

“They won’t get her.” My hand tightened on the handles.

“They’ll try.”

That was his truth—the truth he’d ferreted out with his sources. An inevitability. Wild, hot fury bloomed in my chest. My fingers flexed on my free hand.

“Sebastian knows you’ll never bend,” he said. “That’s why he’s aiming for the one thing that keeps you standing. The one thing that will break you.”

I glanced at the manor. Her home. Her sanctuary. Then stepped closer to him. “If he touches her—”

“He will,” he said without hesitation. Without apology. “There’s already one scout on your east perimeter. Watching.”

Every muscle in me coiled tight. “Then I’ll—”

“No.” His voice was flat, final. “If you go after him, then you tip your hand. They’ll know you’re aware. Let me handle it.”

I wanted to argue. Wanted to end the threat myself. But he was right.

“I’ll deal with the immediate problem and watch your back so you can watch hers.” He held my gaze. “We need to assume the manor isn’t safe anymore. This scout won’t be the last.”

Fuck.

That meant what I’d already been thinking.

Silas picked up the duffel and entered the manor like he owned the place. I followed. Inside, there was the hum of voices. Anna talking to Piers. She came out of the parlor when she heard our footsteps.

“Silas, this is Piers. We have a room ready for you,” she said. “He’ll show you to it so you can get settled.” She motioned toward the stairs.

Quiet. Efficient. Like always.

Her gaze flicked to the duffel in his hand. Then the one in mine. Her mind was already working out the details of that.

Without a word, Silas followed the old butler up.

She waited until he was out of earshot, her gaze still fixed on the stairs.