Lila's breath came in short, sharp gasps as she stared at the man before her. The battlefield around them had quieted, the remaining attackers retreating the moment he arrived. It was as if they had never been the real threat—just a distraction leading to this moment.
Her father. The man she had spent years believing was dead.
"What… how?" The words barely escaped her lips, her voice strangled by disbelief and something dangerously close to fear.
His expression remained unreadable, dark eyes sweeping over her as if assessing her very existence. "It's been a long time, Lila."
A cold dread settled in her stomach. "You're supposed to be dead."
His lips curled in something that wasn't quite a smile. "A necessary illusion."
Caleb's growl cut through the tension. "Explain. Now."
