Elena POV
"Elena." Adrian's voice was tight. "Explain. Now."
"I got the first message two nights ago," I said quickly. "After the explosion at Cassian's hideout. I didn't want to worry you until I understood what it meant."
"You should have told me immediately."
"I know. I'm telling you now."
He stared at the phone, jaw working. "Getting closer. That's a threat."
"Or a warning," I said. "I don't think they're trying to scare me. I think they're trying to be known."
"That's worse," Adrian said. "Someone patient enough to wait, then reach out gently instead of attacking directly—that's someone confident. Someone who thinks they've already won something."
I didn't have a good answer for that.
We brought it to Kelly and Thorne the next morning, right in the middle of their wedding preparations, which felt strange and unfair, but there wasn't time to wait.
