ed, her heart hamm

re in danger."Unable to sleep, she paced the ro

r the strange connection she felt to him. Who was

ains, intensifying her need for answers

trid had no appetite. She needed to talk t

er tone forcedly cheerf

"Mom, we need to talk

he coffee pot and turned to face Astr

e called me last night. He said

"He called you? How d

m, he sounded scared. I nee

ere are things I've kept from you to protect

ard, her heart pou

door interrupted the

d through the curtain. Her face tightened

ut

Kira h

rd the door open downstairs and muffled voices. Strain

a deep voice said. "You ca

bout," Kira replied, her voice shak

nsistent. "We have orders,

y did they want her? What

t take her. She's my daughter, a

ything," the man replied. "Dante himself has ord

ante? Whoever he was, he

lease, give us more time. She do

Dante has been searching for her for years. He believe

picked it up and saw another message from Kel

he typed back, "I need he

immediate: "I'm on

for whatever came through that door and

t. Astrid could hear the desperation in her mot

ront door closed wit

ng to hear."Astrid," Kira's voice called up the s

nd descending the stairs. She found her mother sta

d, her voic

p that works for someone very powerful in the we

do they wan

y believe you're special. There's s

whole life, she'd known she was different, but

? And the drugs you've been giving me to su

shaking. "Astrid, I only did it to pro

me? You've been keeping me in the dark a

. "I'm sorry, Astrid. I though

sadness. "We need to figure this out together

the door again.

the door cautiou

came the reply. "

door. Kellan stepped inside, his

re still out there, and they'll b

other, her mind a whirlwind of que

indow. "Somewhere safe.

's right, Astrid

eing upended, but she had little choice. "Okay," sh

out the back door, Astrid glanced back at the only hom

There's a safe house not far from here," he sai

ions, but now wasn't the time. All she could do was f

strange sensation, a pull she couldn't explain. S

in front of a small, nondescript bui

est but comfortable. Kellan le

"But we need to figure out our next move.

of fear and determination. "What do we do n

strong. We'll figure this

e. She didn't know what the future held,

t alone.Just then, he

message from an unknown number: "Astrid, there's more you ne

lan and Kira. They exchanged worried glances, and A