Chapter 426: Fractured Bonds

Astrid’s POV

Long shadows cast down on me as I walked through the halls. Every step felt heavier than the last, the air thick with tension.

I had spent the last hour sitting by Elara and Ryker’s beds, watching their peaceful faces, willing my fears to fade away. But they hadn’t.

I had always trusted my instincts, and right now, they were screaming at me. Something was wrong.

Killian had tried to reassure me, promising that we had taken every precaution, that the guards stationed around our children were the best of the best. But my gut told me otherwise.

Ardan was methodical. He didn’t make reckless moves. If he had stayed silent for this long, it was because he was waiting for the perfect opportunity.