Chapter 21 Fractured Bonds

• The silence stretched in the dimly lit cabin, thick with unspoken words and the weight of betrayal. Darian sat against the far wall, hands bound behind his back, his gaze fixed on the wooden floor. No one had spoken since Rafael’s decree, but the tension was suffocating.
• Celeste couldn’t stay still. She paced the room, her mind a whirlwind of anger, disbelief, and something else—something that felt dangerously close to sorrow. She had trusted Darian, relied on him. And now, everything felt tainted.
• Rowan stood by the door, arms crossed, his watchful gaze never leaving Darian. His presence was a quiet reassurance, but it did little to quell the storm brewing inside Celeste.