Chapter 16

KASMINE.

I dropped to my knees beside the bed, staring at the pile of my belongings with a mix of horror and confusion. My mind raced, searching for an explanation, but there was none. None that made sense.

Kester… my brother… had kept all these things. He'd taken them.

I felt sick. My chest tightened, and the room seemed to spin around me.

My hands were still trembling when I noticed a book. It had fallen out of the box, landing near my feet. The leather-bound cover was worn, its edges frayed as though it had been handled countless times. A diary.

I stared at it for what felt like an eternity, my pulse hammering in my ears. Fear clawed at my insides, twisting and tightening until I felt like I couldn't breathe. I didn't want to pick it up. Whatever was inside that diary, I knew it wouldn't ……