Page 174 of BounBound By Scars

No call. No whisper. No sign.

I felt like I was dying in pieces.

“Are you absolutely sure?” Sebastian asked.

Delara didn’t even look at him. She slammed her palm against the table. “OfcourseI’m bloody sure.”

She shot up from the couch, pacing like a trapped animal.

“I only took out three snipers at Romano’s estate,” she said, raking a hand through her hair. “There were more—six that I saw for sure. But by the time I lined up the next one, they were already dead.”

Zarek leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “Kabir.”

“Yeah.” Delara threw her hands in the air. “It was him. It had to be. Which is why I’m pissed asfuck.”

“Delara—” Seb started.

“No. I’m not done,” she snapped. “I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I looked at the facts. Stayed neutral. I listened to you.”

Sebastian sounded ashamed. “Ineversaid he was rogue—”

“You didn’t have to,” I muttered.

My voice sounded distant. Hoarse.

Everyone turned.

I didn’t look up from my hands, fingers still trembling against the hem of my sleeve.

“You didn’t say it,” I added softly. “But none of you stopped it either.”

“Amelia—” Leora said, sitting beside me.

“I’m not mad at you,” I said before she could finish. “You told me what you believed.”

“And I ignored you,” Zarek said quietly, almost to himself. “Leora told me. Idismissedit.”

That surprised me.

Not the admission.

Just how broken he sounded saying it.

“Where is Dylan?” Kaylan asked, breaking the silence.

No one answered.

He hadn’t shown his face since I beat the shit out of him. Since the betrayal.

“Probably in his room,” Logan said. “He’s…not ready to face us.”

Neither am I.

Zane, who’d been standing silently near the entrance, finally stepped forward. He looked paler than usual. Haggard. His mouth opened, then closed.

Then finally—

“You need to know something.”