#Chapter 140: The Warriors

Aria The morning after the search party, Darren hardly allowed himself time to stir before he was heading straight into his study. He had an appointment for a video call with his lawyers regarding the deportation. I watched him go, feeling even more sorry for him than I did yesterday. A good night’s sleep couldn’t fix all of our problems, no matter how much we wanted it to, and it showed. He still looked exhausted—if anything, he looked even more exhausted despite his sleep. I spent the morning with Lucas, trying to keep him occupied so Darren could complete his meeting in peace. Lucas had made some new friends here, so he was feeling a little bit better, and after lunch he asked if he could go out and play. I went with him, sitting on a nearby bench while I called Bella. The phone rang several times before she finally picked up. Her voice sounded hoarse, like she hadn’t been sleeping much either. “Aria,” she said, “I was just about to call you.” My