SNOW DRIFTED past the windows in slow, quiet spirals that barely caught the warm glow of the lights that lined the compound’s lounge. It was Christmas Eve, but nothing about the atmosphere felt festive. Blood had been scrubbed from the floors earlier, and the faint scent of smoke still clung to the corners of the room. The fireplace crackled as if trying to drown out the memories left behind.
Lily stood near the window, arms wrapped around herself. The cold outside looked peaceful, untouched. She envied it.
Footsteps approached behind her. Heavy, familiar, unhurried.
“Thought you’d be with Ronan,” Jeremiah said.
She didn’t turn around. “He’s busy checking the perimeter. Besides, he said I should rest. He thinks I wander too much.”
Jeremiah let out a low breath. “He gets angry because
