Book Four: Chapter 173

She didn’t know what to expect, but silence wasn’t it. The night felt unnaturally still, as if the world itself were holding its breath. Every rustle of leaves or distant creak of a gate made her heart jump. A minute later, Marco stepped out of his vehicle, the tires crunching softly against the gravel. He opened the trunk with a sharp, deliberate motion that echoed in the empty street. The lid slammed shut behind him with a resounding bang, reverberating through the quiet night. He started walking back toward the house at a clipped pace, shoulders squared and movements calculated, like a predator stalking its territory.

Kisa crawled out of her hiding spot, pressing herself against the shadowed side of a neighboring car. Her claws dug slightly into the asphalt as she followed him silently. The hour was late; most of the neighborhood had gone to bed, and only a few wandering figures roamed the streets. But even in this quiet