At her question, Aunt Lavinia slowly fell silent. Her fingers tightened briefly before she drew her hands back, lips pressed together as she forced herself to step aside. This wasn't her place to answer.
The relief of having Ashley back still lingered in her chest, but the rest… the truth about what had happened, about where their mother had gone, that belonged to the brothers to answer. And so she lowered her gaze, leaving everything to them.
The moment the question settled, all five brothers went still. Whatever warmth had surfaced earlier vanished, replaced by something far colder and murderous. Their expressions hardened, and a quiet, suffocating pressure bled from them.
It was subtle, but unmistakable. Even Ashley could feel it. The hatred was controlled, but sharp enough to cut through the air.
Her mind reacted instantly, scrambling to fill the silence. Possibilities flashed one after another, her thoughts racing ahead of reason.
