King Magnus POV
Aria's silence settled heavily in the car. I stole a glance at her—her small frame tucked into the seat, staring out the window with haunted eyes. Seeing her this way made my chest tighten, and guilt gnawed at me. It had been careless, letting her wait for so long in an empty school. She's still so young, so innocent. She shouldn't have to know the world's darkness yet. But I'd been caught up in work, dealing with issues in the pack and overseeing endless responsibilities.
Then, when she told me about what she'd remembered—or nearly remembered—I clenched my jaw. Those boys had triggered something deep, a memory I'd fought hard to bury for her sake. I'd done everything to protect her from it, but all my efforts were unraveling because of a bunch of reckless thugs.
They'd pay for this.
I pulled out my phone and typed a quick message to one of my most trusted enforcers, Jacky.
