Shadow of the Matriarch

The cabana fell silent. The sea breeze that had once felt warm now cut like ice.

Kaelen’s head snapped toward Silas, his jaw ticking. “Why?” His voice was calm, but it carried the weight of a storm waiting to break.

Silas shifted, his expression uneasy. “I only managed to reach her assistant. Madam arrived yesterday, and late last night she received a new lead—something she says can’t wait. When