_Kael's POV_
The road twisted beneath my tires like a serpent. It was dark and winding through the trees. The sky above was black and heavy with storm clouds. I drove fast. I was pushing the car harder than I should have. My hands gripped the wheel tight. My knuckles were white.
I tried calling her. Again.
No answer.
"She's not picking up," I muttered.
Valric growled inside me. "She never does. She has always been secretive."
"Not tonight," I snapped. "She has to listen. She has to help."
The scent of pine filled the air. The forest was thick. It was closing in around the road. I knew the way to Morana's cabin like I knew my own heartbeat. It was tucked far from the main Nightshade territory and hidden in a shadowed valley. No one went there unless they had to.
Tonight, I had to.
