Chapter 43: Target

Chapter 43: Target       The chaos outside thundered on with gunfire, shouting, distant explosions—but inside the mansion, everything was still.   Valerian moved quietly, his steps light on the marble floor. He held his gun tight while his eyes scanned the halls. The corridors were empty and the chandeliers swayed from the tremors outside.   He’d gotten in without being seen, leaving Ivan and the others to deal with the fight. But none of that mattered to him. He was only here for Noelle.   She was here somewhere. Alone. Trapped. And with every second that passed, the unease in his chest grew heavier.   The silence was wrong.   Despite the war raging outside, the estate itself felt... lifeless.   His jaw tightened as doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind. 'Was I too late? Had Adrian moved her somewhere else? What if—'   'No.' He exhaled slowly, pushing the thought away. He was going to find her. He had to.   His instincts urged him forward, deeper into the estate, toward the far north