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​Flesh and blood, You, brother mine, that entertain'd ambition, expell'd
remorse and nature. . . I do forgive thee. Unnatural though thou art.
Shakespeare

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Alexander Filippidis wants Cyrus Harper’s estranged brother dead — and this time, he isn’t hiding in the shadows.

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Life should finally be settling into something like happiness. Cyrus’s new hockey team dominates headlines, a retreat with fellow billionaires hints at new allies, and a Chicago blues revival through his record label promises a fresh beginning. With danger seemingly behind them, Maren and Cyrus retreat to Rancho Cielo Sereno in Texas, hoping for quiet days — and long-overdue time alone.

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But peace proves fragile.

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When Cyrus’s brother, Darius, arrives seeking refuge with his wife and infant daughter, old grudges follow close behind. Success has made Cyrus more visible than ever — and visibility brings enemies. Maren senses the tension immediately as tempers fray and past relationships refuse to remain buried.

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Then Maren and Cyrus witness the impossible: the Bendith y Mamau moving through the darkness along the river, their “Mother’s Blessing” heavy with warning. At their heels prowl the cŵn annwn, ghostly hounds with blood-red ears and mirrored eyes — harbingers of death. The Tarot offers only one certainty: the omens are real, and they are meant for someone close to them.

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As violence escalates and trust erodes, Maren and Cyrus realize the attacks are no longer acts of revenge but pieces of a deliberate design. Alexander’s war has entered a new phase — one that turns love, family, and loyalty into weapons.

And this time, the greatest danger may come from within their own circle.

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