Just as I was starting to relax completely, a shadow fell across the garden.
I froze, my instincts screaming. Asher’s hand tightened on mine as they rested on the table.
A woman stepped into the candlelight, her presence sharp and deliberate. She was tall, with dark hair and eyes that gleamed with something I couldn’t quite place—malice, maybe, or ambition. She smiled at us, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Asher.” She said, her voice smooth and controlled, “I didn’t expect to find you here.”
Asher’s grip on my hand didn’t loosen. “And I didn’t expect to see you.” He said evenly, his jaw tightening.
I tensed, glancing at him. “Who is she?”
“She’s… a problem.” He said softly, just loud enough for me to hear. “Stay close.”
The woman’s eyes flicked to me, and I felt a sudden, unwelcome h
