Chapter 152

Sofia. The jet ride home was quiet. Not peaceful. Just quiet. Nikolai sat beside me, his fingers curled around my thigh, warm and grounding. Nadei and Nial sat across from us, their gazes locked onto me in that quiet way they always did when they thought I was about to break. But I wasn’t breaking. I was exhausted. I leaned back against the leather seat, exhaling through my nose, my body thrumming with tension. The blood was gone from my skin, wiped clean before I ever stepped foot on the jet, but I still felt it. In my bones. Under my nails. Seeping into my fucking soul. I closed my eyes. For the first time in weeks, the war was over. Momentarily. But I didn’t know how to stop fighting. - We stepped inside, the weight of everything hit me. Not just the blood. Not just the ghosts but the home of it all. The scent of vanilla and citrus from the candles I always burned. The warmth of the dimmed hallway lights. The faintest sound of Jade’s giggles coming from the kids’ wing. I exhaled sha