I hastily climbed the three wooden steps, my boots landing too loud against the worn planks. I rapped my knuckles against the door, counting the seconds in my head until finally, it opened. My grandmother stood before me, eyes widening. “Dacre.” Her voice held more trepidation than relief. I never showed up here unannounced. Her gaze flicked behind me, taking in Wren’s and Kai’s rigid postures, the way Kai’s hand hovered near his weapon and the way Wren was still looking back at the man that neither of us knew.
