e just after midnight.Emilia shot

sh. This on

ft against the marble floor. The house was dark, eerily so.

was

the edge of the desk. The other was bloodied, dripping slo

rgot h

r..

"I told you to st

eding." "It

not no

argue, grabbing a cloth from th

dn't

er eyes to hi

he might refuse. But then, without a

ront of him, gentl

nough to sting. She cleaned it in s

watch

ressed together when she was nervous. The way her touc

fraid of me,"

p, startled.

dn't a

she

ke this. Not when you're bleedi

hung bet

ma

like gravel. "No one's call

ill in her hand. "Then maybe t

rd suddenly, his fa

know what I

't nee

u sh

Wh

angerous to care

were soft

pered back, "Then maybe the monst

t followed was h

breath

s still

second, he alm

. The chair scraped bac

aid, voice hard again. Col

a hes

he bloodied cloth still

r, she loo

orrow," she said gently

n't re

't m

the spot where she had knelt, her warmth st

way his chest ache

*

ning, Emilia

raight to the study with clean bandages and a q

nswer when

the door slowl

wasn't

rom yesterday, the one who'd touched her. The other looked old

the older man said.

, his fingers steepled. Hi

not just

raitor, isn't she? Her father tried to run with you

breath

, cold and final. "She

like you, Lucien. You don't keep the chil

g sil

k to be part of any of this. And because there a

s lev

e's

ring. "Too soft. You'll get yourself kill

who should be wor

cien's voice mad

ain. They left, boots heavy

they could see her. She pressed a hand to

r of a t

had a name for him. He'd died when she was

no

n't sure of

ound Lucien alone i

g on the bench, head tilted back, eyes clos

t opening his eyes,

fr

't mean

kno

r now. "How much

oug

tened. "I suppose

closer. "W

e you didn't choose. Because I let dangerous men talk ab

you're the only one in this house wh

t her then,

is voice softened. "You re

him, careful not

Wh

. Just stared at

sked, "If I let you go.

"You want t

" His voice was dist

ds. "I don't know. I don't kn

retched be

whispered, "N