Ava's breath caught in her throat, her grief twisting into a searing fury. It lodged itself deep in her chest, a raw, searing pain that spread like wildfire through her veins. Her fingers clenched tighter around Seraya's still-warm body, nails digging into the torn fabric of her bloodied clothes. The heat of her rage churned beneath her skin, threatening to spill over.
She surged to her feet in a single, fluid motion, her entire frame vibrating with fury. "Who the hell are you?" she growled, her voice a dangerous snarl. Her amber eyes burned, locking onto the stranger with an intensity that could have shattered glass. He didn't flinch. He didn't even move.
