Amara’s hands trembled in her lap. She wanted to help—desperately—but the thought of doing this behind Darius’s back filled her with dread. She knew how protective he was, how much he wanted to keep her safe. And yet, part of her knew Maya was right. They couldn’t keep waiting, couldn’t keep being on the defensive. She had to be brave, had to face the past that kept haunting her.
“What if we get caught?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Maya reached out and squeezed Amara’s hand. “We won’t. We’ll be careful. We’ll move under the cover of night and stick to the shadows. And if things go wrong… we know how to get out. You’ve survived worse, Amara. You can do this.”
Amara took a shaky breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She had always been afraid—afraid of what Killian would d
