I stayed with him, my hand resting on his neck, feeling the steady beat of his heart.

Dante walked over to the stall door, leaning his forearms against the wooden frame.

His face looked weary, the physical toll of his own injuries finally catching up to him.

“You did well tonight, Mara,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said.

“We have a lot to discuss,” he said. “About Vance. About Kroll.”

“I know,” I said. “I can help you stop them. If you let me.”

He did not answer right away. He simply watched the horse.

Suddenly, a loud buzzer sounded from the main security console near the entrance.

The red warning lights along the ceiling began to flash, casting a bloody glow over the wooden stalls.

The two guards outside the stable door immediately drew their weapons.

The vet stepped back, his face turning pale.

Dante straightened up, his hand going to the holster beneath his coat.

“Stay here,” he commanded, his voice cold and flat.

The main monitor on the stable wall flickered to life, showing the outer gates of the estate.