36

The air inside the safehouse was thick with unspoken words.

Aria sat on the edge of an old wooden table, her fingers digging into the worn surface as she tried to steady herself. The echoes of the battle at Selene’s fortress still roared inside her mind—the blinding force of power that had ripped through her, the way Selene had watched her, measured her, let her go.

She wasn’t sure what unsettled her more.

That Selene hadn’t wanted her dead.

Or that, deep down, Aria wasn’t sure she wanted to know why.

Lucian leaned against the wall across from her, arms crossed, silver eyes unreadable. Cassian and his wolves had moved to secure the perimeter, while Kai, Dante, and Sebastian stood near the old stone fireplace, the flames casting sharp shadows across their tense faces.

Sebastian was the first to break the silence. “This doesn’t change anything.”

Aria looked up at him. “Doesn’t it?”

His green eyes burned as they met hers. “No. We still take the Shadow Order down. We still kill Selene.”

Kai scoffed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah? And how do you suggest we do that? Because last time I checked, she walked right through our attacks like she was untouchable.”

Dante exhaled sharply, crossing his arms. “Kai’s got a point. She wasn’t fighting to kill us. She was fighting to test Aria.”

Sebastian’s jaw clenched. “Which means next time, she won’t just be watching.”

Aria swallowed hard. She knew they were right.

Selene had been toying with her.

But next time?

Next time, she would be ready.

Lucian finally spoke, his voice calm but sharp. “She’s been planning this for years. She’s been watching you, waiting for this moment. The only reason we’re alive right now is because she allowed it.”

The words sent a chill down Aria’s spine.

She forced herself to speak. “She said something to me.”

All eyes snapped to her.

Sebastian took a slow step forward. “What did she say?”

Aria exhaled, forcing herself to remember.

"This power inside you? It isn’t meant for you to control."

She hated how those words made her feel.

Like something inside her was shifting. Changing.

Like she wasn’t in control of it.

Lucian watched her carefully. “She’s testing your limits.”

Aria nodded. “And if she finds them?”

Lucian’s silver eyes darkened. “Then she’ll break them.”

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Dante let out a quiet curse. “Great. Fantastic. So, what? She’s just waiting for Aria to snap?”

Lucian didn’t blink. “Yes.”

Sebastian turned to Aria, his green eyes sharp. “Then we don’t give her the chance.”

Aria’s chest tightened. “And how do you suggest we do that?”

Sebastian’s expression was cold. Unwavering.

“We kill her before she kills you.”

Kai whistled low. “Bold strategy.”

Aria clenched her fists. “It’s not that simple.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “Make it simple.”

Her frustration flared. “You think I don’t want that? You think I wouldn’t end this right now if I could?”

Sebastian’s jaw tensed, but he said nothing.

Lucian exhaled. “We don’t need to rush into another fight. We need a plan.”

Sebastian’s patience was wearing thin. “Then give me one.”

Lucian tilted his head slightly, studying him. Then—he smiled.

Not a kind smile.

Not a reassuring one.

A dangerous one.

“We hit them from the inside.”

Aria frowned. “How?”

Lucian turned toward Cassian, who had just stepped back into the room. “How many of your people can move undetected through Shadow Order territory?”

Cassian arched a brow. “Depends. Are you asking how many are skilled, or how many are willing?”

Lucian smirked. “Both.”

Cassian leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. “A few dozen, maybe more.”

Sebastian’s green eyes narrowed. “What are you thinking?”

Lucian’s silver eyes gleamed. “We turn their own people against them.”

Aria’s breath caught. “You mean… infiltrate them?”

Lucian nodded. “Selene’s stronghold isn’t just soldiers. She has operatives, informants—people who aren’t loyal, just afraid. If we can turn them, we can weaken her from the inside before we ever set foot inside that fortress again.”

Sebastian didn’t look convinced. “And how do we know who to trust?”

Lucian’s smirk didn’t fade. “We don’t.”

Kai exhaled. “Well, that’s comforting.”

Aria’s mind was racing.

This wasn’t just about storming Selene’s stronghold. This was about destroying it from within.

She met Lucian’s gaze. “You’re sure this will work?”

Lucian’s expression was unreadable. “It’s our best shot.”

Sebastian remained silent for a long moment. Then—finally—he exhaled sharply. “Fine. We do it your way. But the second this turns into a trap, we pull out.”

Lucian’s smirk returned. “Fair enough.”

Dante muttered, “I can’t believe we’re taking orders from this guy.”

Aria ignored him, her mind already working through the details.

She turned to Cassian. “How soon can your people be ready?”

Cassian pushed off the doorway. “Give me a few days. I’ll find the ones we can trust.”

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair. “Then we prepare.”

Aria nodded.

This was it.

Their first real move.

Not just fighting back.

Not just running.

But taking control.

Lucian pushed off the wall. “You should get some rest.”

Aria shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Lucian’s silver eyes flickered. “You collapsed after the fight. Whether you like it or not, that power took something from you.”

Sebastian frowned. “He’s right.”

Aria hated it, but she couldn’t argue. She still felt off, like something inside her was unsettled.

Still, she wasn’t ready to sleep.

Not yet.

She turned to Cassian. “Find our informants. I want to know what Selene is planning.”

Cassian nodded. “I’ll handle it.”

Sebastian crossed his arms. “And the rest of us?”

Lucian smirked. “We train.”

Kai groaned. “I hate this plan already.”

Aria ignored them, exhaling slowly.

This war wasn’t over.

Not yet.

But for the first time, she wasn’t just surviving.

She was fighting back.

And this time?

She wasn’t going to lose.