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All I ever saw.

His back.

His silence.

His fury.

I froze the frame. Staring at him. Searching for the man I loved.

But I couldn’t see him.

Only the fire in his hand.

I turned away. Closed out of the video and dropped my phone onto the bed beside me. I climbed under the covers, curling my body around the cell. I didn’t want to sleep. Didn’t even feel tired. I just lay there. Staring at the outline of my cell in the dark and after what felt like forever I closed my eyes.

I didn’t dream of the Clove man.

I dreamed of Alaric.

Gas can in his hand.

The flame flickering.

Then fire.

The kind that scorches.

The kind that burns.

When I woke it felt like I hadn’t slept in forever. Sunlight brightened my room. I yawned. Rubbed my eyes until they stung, then slowly pushed up. My phone was face down on the bed beside me. I picked it up and turned, finding the cord to charge it. The screen illuminated with the movement.

A message waited.

Unknown.

My chest caved. I stared at it until the screen went dark once more. I didn’t want to read what it had to say. But I hadn’t wanted any of this.

Want or not, I was in too deep to turn back now.

So I pressed the button. Swiped and read the message.

Ask the wrong people and he’ll know.

Heat crept into my cheeks. I glanced at the window, like somehow I’d find whoever this was hiding behind the glass. But there was no one. Just the curtains… and the estate waiting for me. I turned back to the message.

Ask the wrong people…

How did they know?

I needed information. I knew that. I also knew I couldn’t go to the ones I wanted to.

Not Vivienne.

Not Rafe.

Definitely not Alaric.

So who?