410: ENDGAME?

ARIEL'S POV Luke and I stepped outside the mansion; the cool night air wrapped around us, stirring shivers right into my spine. Holding onto Luke's hand tightly, we made our way towards the gate where Marcu stood watch. "Marcus," I called out, my voice carrying a hint of urgency. Marcus turned towards us, his expression mirroring our concern. "Yes, miss?" "We heard gunshots," I explained, my voice trembling slightly. "Do you have any idea what's happening?" Marcus shook his head, his brow furrowed in worry. "I'm not sure. I heard the shots, too, but I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary." Luke exchanged a glance with me before turning back to Marcus. "We're going to take a look around and see if we can figure out what's going on." Marcus' eyes widened in alarm. "No, sir, it might be too dangerous out there. You both shouldn't go." I squeezed Luke's hand, silently echoing Marcus' concern. But Luke met Marcus' gaze with resilience. "Thanks for your concern, but we have to f