Chapter 103

AARON’S POV The wheels of the last suitcase thudded dully against the marble floors of the Blackwood mansion as the butler and two other servants hustled to load it into my car. I stood there for a moment, hands shoved deep into the pockets of my jacket, watching the home I had grown up in with a detached sort of emptiness. It didn’t feel like home anymore. Not with the ghosts hanging in the air. Not with betrayal thick enough to choke on. I glanced toward the grand staircase. My eyes lingered for a beat, then I turned and headed down the east wing. One last thing to do before I left this place for good. Kaelon's study. The heavy oak door loomed ahead, polished to a shine that could blind a man if the light hit it just right. I knocked once, sharp and deliberate, then pushed it open without waiting for an answer. Inside, Kaelon sat behind his massive mahogany desk, the soft clicking of keys filling the air. His back was straight, his face impassive, the faint blue glow of his computer