"I see that you inherited Meriyaah's will," Sebastian said, his calm yet powerful voice directed straight at Evie.
Evie stiffened. For a moment she forgot how to breathe. Slowly, she turned to Ren, searching his face for answers. But Ren's expression mirrored her shock—eyes widened, shoulders tense, posture stiff as if the ground had shifted under him. If she had doubted her own surprise, his reaction confirmed it.
He was just as blindsided as she was.
Feeling her gaze, Ren looked back at her and gave a tiny nod, letting her know that it was fine to talk with Sebastian.
"Yes," Evie said carefully, turning back to Sebastian. "Do you… know her?"
Sebastian looked toward the horizon where the last shades of daylight were fading. The sky deepened into a palette of indigo and wine-purple, streaked with leftover clouds from the earlier rain. The world seemed to quiet around them as night pulled its veil over the land.
