Amara turned to Julian, her exhaustion finally showing. "Julian, thank you. I need to get a few things. I'll come with you."
"You aren't leaving this house, Amara," Amira interrupted, her voice dropping to a manipulative honey-sweet tone. "You'll stay. For Mother's sake. Remember her poor heart? If she comes home to find her daughters at war, or one of them missing again... it might just kill her."
Amara froze. Her sister knew exactly where to twist the knife. After the nightmare with Seb, Amara didn't have the strength to break her mother's heart. She was trapped, not by locks and keys this time, but by blood.
"Julian... I think you should leave," Amara whispered.
"What? No! I'm not leaving you with her," Julian protested, his hand tightening on her arm.
"It's okay," Amara insisted, looking him in the eye. "We need to talk as sisters. My mother is on her way back to the country. I'll call you the moment she arrives."
