[House Everett—Balcony—Midnight—LAVINIA'S POV]
The curtains still swayed in the night wind, taunting me like they knew I was too late. My heart hammered as I dashed across the chamber and onto the balcony, cold air slicing against my cheeks.
The estate grounds stretched below—torches flaring, knights flooding the courtyards like a tide of steel. And yet—no sign of him. No shadow slipping through the gardens. No figure darting across the rooftops.
Just silence.
Too much silence.
My hands curled tight around the balcony rail, nails digging into the stone. My teeth ground together. "Caelum…" I hissed his name into the dark, tasting venom with every syllable. "You won't escape me."
Behind me, Rey's voice drifted through the smoke like silk dragged over a blade—mocking, but edged with steel. "He hasn't flown far, princess. He can't. A rat may scurry faster in the dark, but in the end…" His smirk widened. "...rats are meant to be crushed."
