Nia’s Pov
Rowan stepped closer, just enough to make the air between us shift, heavy and warm. “You said you wanted to understand how things really work,” he reminded me, his tone smooth but edged with quiet insistence. “This is your chance. You’ll see the patrol lines, the routes you mapped out, the families you mentioned in your notes. You’ll understand exactly what’s at stake.”
I stared up at him, caught somewhere between panic and intrigue. “You mean… today? As in, right now?”
He grinned. “You catch on quick, princess.”
I set my mug down, shaking my head. “Rowan, no. I can’t just…”
He cut me off with a faint smirk. “Relax. You won’t be jumping into danger. You’ll just be observing. I’ll be with you the whole time.”
“That’s supposed to make me feel better?”
“It should,” he said wi
