Chapter 190

• Emilia’s POV
• The morning light spilled into the room, soft and golden, warming my skin as I sat by the window. I hadn’t been able to sleep much. Too many thoughts raced through my mind, all tangled up in the chaos of the past weeks. I’d escaped Alonso’s villa and returned to Alaric, but nothing felt settled. Every quiet moment was reminded me that something—or someone—was still lurking just out of reach, threatening to shatter this fragile peace that we were having right now. Every quiet moment reminded me of how easy it was for those men to get to us.
• The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, steady and purposeful. A few seconds later, the door opened, and Alaric stepped in, a folded piece of paper in his hand. His expression was dark, his jaw clenched tightly.