I survived twelve years as a slave by staying silent. Now that I’m free, I can’t seem to stop talking. Maybe it’s because they listen. Damir—gentle, grounding, always nearby. Alessia—sharp, loyal, more friend than I ever thought I’d have. And Kiernan… Kiernan looks at me like I’m not a burden. Like I matter. When we take shelter with a powerful desert lord, I almost believe I’ve found safety. Purpose. A place to belong. But power doesn’t come without a price. And the gifts I’ve been offered might not be kindness—they might be bait. I’m tired of surviving. I want more. But the deeper I fall into this world of gods and shadows, the more I The most dangerous thing I could do is trust someone with my heart. Especially when I don’t know who they truly are. “I’ve lived too long to believe in redemption. There is too much blood on my hands, too many necessary cruelties in my past. I am not a good man—barely a man at all some days. But with her... with her, perhaps I can be something other than the monster I’ve become. Not redeemed, but... reclaimed. Remembered.” —Kiernan