Sebastian's POV
The scent of blood filled the air, sharp and metallic, cutting through the remnants of adrenaline from the fight at the border. My heart thundered in my chest as I crouched beside Maia's lifeless body, my mind scrambling to process the scene before me.
The note pinned to her chest was crude but deliberate, the words written in a bold, almost mocking script:
"The traitor walks among you."
Fiona's sharp intake of breath snapped me out of my stupor. I turned to find her standing frozen in the doorway, her hand pressed against her mouth. Her golden eyes, which had been alight with determination moments ago, were now wide with shock and horror.
"Fiona," I said, rising to my feet and closing the distance between us. "Don't look."
She shook her head, her voice trembling. "She was just a child, Sebastian, How could they—"
