Dad lifts a single, heavy hand toward Locke, holding him back. “Let her finish talking.”
Locke remains silent, though the aura around him turns to pure ice.
Willow looks back at me, her wide eyes practically shining with emotion. “I know this is incredibly difficult for you, Zara. But I’ve spent my entire life learning to pay attention when something extraordinary is placed directly in my path.”
Dad’s large hands curl into tight fists against his knees. “Willow. Stop.”
“You asked me to explain myself!” she says, turning to him. “Then please, just let me explain it!”
Dad gives a curt nod.
She faces me again, leaning forward slightly. “You were the one who brought Locke into my life, Zara. You were the bridge between us.”
The words hit my chest like a physical weight, even though I kn
