Two of Aries’s remaining loyal guards stepped out from the shadows of the containers.

They grabbed Killian by his shoulders, hauling him to his feet.

He groaned, his boots dragging through the mud.

“Take him to the holding room in the main warehouse,” Aries said.

“And keep him quiet.”

The guards dragged Killian away into the dark.

The sound of their footsteps faded, leaving only the steady drum of rain on metal.

Aries turned his gaze to me.

His chest rose and fell in slow, deliberate breaths.

“Are you hurt, Sienna?” he asked.

“No,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

“Just cold.”

He walked over to me, his boots splashing in the shallow puddles.

He stopped a foot away, his presence blocking the bitter wind.

“Your eyes saved my life,” he said.

“I saw the way the wool stretched,” I replied.

“A good coat should never pull at the shoulder unless there is weight underneath.”

He gave a faint, tired nod.

“Let us get out of the rain.”

He led me toward a small, corrugated metal office at the edge of the dock.