Chapter 28 The Nightshades

• || Lilac’s POV ||
• The evening air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of blooming night jasmine as we stepped out of the restaurant. The soft hum of the city buzzed around us, but my mind was far from the present. My thoughts were tangled in the web of the Nightshades, their name echoing in my head like a haunting melody. The girl at the counter had said it so casually, as if it were nothing, but her words had struck a chord deep within me. “Your table will always be taken care of by the Nightshades.” Why? Why would anyone like them pay for us?
• Dad strode ahead, his broad shoulders cutting through the cool night air as he made his way to the car.