Kaine's POV
I watched Aria's retreating form, my chest tightening with each step she took away from me. Part of me ached to go after her, to try and make things right. But the weight of the crown on my head was a constant reminder of my responsibilities.
"We can't just let her go," Neo growled in my mind.
"We have no choice," I replied silently. "There are more pressing matters."
Venice. The name alone made my blood boil. That witch had no business being in Avenport, not after everything she'd done. I'd made it crystal clear she wasn't welcome here, yet here she was, strolling through my territory as if she owned it.
I caught her scent on the wind—a sickly sweet aroma that made my nose wrinkle. Following it, I moved swiftly through the streets, my senses on high alert. But the trail went cold near the town square.
"Damn it," I muttered under my breath.