KAEL
The sound of the jet was low and steady, almost soothing. But there was nothing soothing about the silence sitting between us.
She was quiet. Too quiet.
Aria hadn't said a word since Olivia's call came through. Not when I helped her pack. Not when we got in the car. Not even when we took off in the jet I summoned in record time. Her body was here, curled up in the seat beside me, arms folded tightly across her chest like they were the only things holding her together.
But her mind? Her soul? Somewhere else entirely.
The moment I saw her face go pale, when I heard Olivia's voice on speaker say the words vomited blood, something in me cracked wide open. I'd seen Aria freeze before—hell, I'd made her freeze before but this was different. It was fear. Raw, pure, unfiltered. And it shook me down to my marrow.
I didn't waste time.
