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Chapter 315
~Zara’s POV~
The house felt different the mont we stepped in.
Tense. Suffocating.
Before I could process it, I heard rapid footsteps descending the stairs. Aira’s.
She rushed toward us, her eyes wild with panic. Behind her, Zade followed, his expression tense but controlled as always
"Where is he?" Aira demanded, her voice shaking.
I froze.
Snow imdiately stepped in front of , shielding like a wall. But it didn’t matter—Aira wasn’t looking at him.
Her furious eyes were locked on .
"I asked you a question!" she snapped. "The guards saw Storm leave with you. Where is my son? Why isn’t he with you? Where did you take him, Zara?"
I opened my mouth, but no words ca out.
"Aira, calm down," Snow tried to calm his sister, careful of the wrath she was gonna bring. "Let’s—"
"Don’t tell to calm down!" she shouted, her hands trembling. "My son is missing! He was safe here! She took him out, and now she cos back without him?!"
Zade’s gaze flickered between us, his face unreadable. "Zar, what’s going on?"
Snow exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples before turning to Zade. "Sothing happened. Zara looked away briefly, and then... he was gone."
Silence.
Aira staggered back slightly, her hand covering her mouth as if physically holding back a scream.
Then she turned to , her eyes burning with rage and devastation.
"It’s nobody’s fault," Snow said cautiously.
Aira’s breath hitched, and she let out a bitter, broken laugh. "Excuse ?" She whipped her head toward him. "Snow, she took him out when he was safe here. She was responsible for him. And now he’s gone?"
Guilt pressed against my ribs, making it harder to breathe.
"Aira—"
"Don’t!" she snapped, cutting off. "Storm is smart. He knows better than to follow a stranger." Her voice cracked. "So tell , Snow, where was she when Kane took him?"
Snow clenched his jaw, his hands curling into fists. He didn’t answer.
Because we both knew the truth.
I hadn’t been paying attention.
I’d been trapped—sowhere else, sowhere unnatural, lost in a vision I couldn’t explain.
Aira took a slow, shaky breath before stepping closer, lowering her voice to sothing far deadlier.
"You were against Zade and the other day," she said coldly, her gaze piercing mine. "And now... now my son is gone. Maybe you thought taking Storm and back to Kane would be best for your dear brother, Zade. How do I know you didn’t let Kane take him on purpose?"
Her words hit like a blade straight to the heart.
I felt my knees go weak, my stomach twisting violently.
I shook my head quickly. "No—Aira, please, I swear, I—"
Zade stepped forward. "I know you’re not careless, Zara. But you did say Aira needed to face Kane."
I turned to him, desperate. "Zade. No. I only said that because I thought she needed closure! But this—this wasn’t supposed to happen!"
His expression wavered for a mont, but it wasn’t enough.
I swallowed thickly, my hands trembling. "I was in a different place. I saw them. The Thorned Crescent. They were there at the park—but it was like a different reality. A ritual. They did sothing to , Zade. I—I couldn’t move, I couldn’t think, and by the ti I ca back, Storm was gone."
The more I spoke, the more their expressions hardened. I took a step back. Just thinking of my explanation, to them, I may have appeared as soone desperately grasping at the last straw to save myself.
But that wasn’t the truth. I... I love Storm, and I would never hurt him. Nor Zade or Aira. Not like this.
Aira scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Do you hear yourself? You’re telling the Thorned Crescent was at a fucking children’s park? You expect to believe that?"
Zade’s eyes darkened. "Zara... If the Thorned Crescent was in the park, no one would have been left alive."
I looked around, pleading with them to understand.
But no one did.
Not even Zade.
Aira let out a shaky breath, her body trembling. "I can’t believe this."
I took a step forward. "Aira, please, I know you’re hurting, but Sto—"
"Don’t." Her voice was sharp and final. "Don’t say his na."
Snow finally spoke, his tone clipped. "Aira, we will find him."
She let out a bitter laugh, her eyes glistening. "We? There is no ’we’ in this, Snow, not with her. Storm is my son. And I will find him."
And with that, she turned and stord out.
Tears slid down my face as I turned to Zade, silently begging him to say sothing—to defend .
But he just stared at , his jaw clenched.
I let out a broken breath before shaking my head. "I thought we were one. And I thought if anyone ever understood more, it would be you. Because you’ve known since like, forever."
"Zar, I..."
"Save it. You had your chance and twice you have made your stance clear. It was my fault he went missing. I take full responsibility for that but... don’t make feel like I am a mad person or I am colliding with Kane of all people."
Snow walked close to , but I lifted my hand. "No, honey. I wouldn’t even work with Ivan or Marcus let alone Kane, who treated Aira so badly. Much less lie about Thorned Crescent. So it is fine if you do not believe . Just..."
Then, without another word, I turned and ran.
I barely heard Snow calling after as I climbed into my car, started the engine, and sped away from the compound.
I needed to breathe.
I needed to get the hell away from here.
At this mont I wasn’t thinking about my safety or anyone’s. All I knew was that I wanted to breathe.
But then as I sped down the road, my mind was filled with only so few places to my destination. And then I recalled Ella.
Imdiately, Styles... Kent Wayne’s face flashed before my eyes and a thought ca to mind.
"Don’t tell Kane is working with the Throned Crescent?"
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