Kendra’s POV
The car pulled to a smooth stop just as the first blush of morning colored the sky. Pale gold filtered through the windshield, softening the jagged edges of my thoughts. I recognized my street before the driver even spoke. My heart leapt, and without waiting for permission, I flung the door open and jumped out.
Gravel crunched beneath my feet as I sprinted across the patchy lawn. I barely registered the sound of the car door clicking shut behind me or the quiet footsteps of the three guards as they followed. My hands trembled as I reached the front porch, heart pounding louder than the sound of my own feet slapping against the concrete. The front door was, as always, unlocked.
I shoved it open and stumbled inside, breathless.
“Dad?” My voice cracked.
He called out from th
