The library door slammed against the wall, rattling the glass panes. Cold air rushed in, laced with the acrid sting of smoke. Cassandra's lungs seized as she clutched the frame, blinking against the sudden burn in her eyes.
Julian didn't hesitate. His hand found her wrist, pulling her out of the warm safety of the library and into the chaos beyond. The corridor, once hushed and orderly, was fractured with shouts. Shadows flickered madly along the walls—firelight, not candlelight.
"Stay close," Julian barked, low but urgent.
Cassandra's slippers slipped against the polished floor as they hurried, the sharp crack of something—gunfire?—splitting the air. Her breath caught. It wasn't thunder. It wasn't the storm.
"Julian," she whispered, her voice trembling as she stumbled beside him, "what's happening?"
He didn't answer at first. His jaw was set, his eyes scanning every corner as though danger might spring from the walls themselves. At last, he said, "The estate's under attack."
The words struck like a blow. Cassandra faltered, yanked forward only because Julian's grip refused to let go. "But—who—"
A scream cut her short. High-pitched. Close. Cassandra's heart lurched as her gaze darted toward the grand staircase ahead. Smoke curled up from the lower floor, carrying the unmistakable scent of burning wood and fabric.
Julian stopped abruptly, turning so fast she collided with his chest. His hands gripped her shoulders, grounding her as panic clawed through her veins.
"Listen to me," he said fiercely, his breath warm against her hair despite the chill wind. "You don't run. You don't freeze. You follow me. Do you understand?"
Cassandra nodded, but the tears in her eyes blurred everything. Her whole body trembled.
Another shot rang out—closer this time. The chandelier above them swayed with the vibrations, casting wild arcs of light over Julian's determined face.
He drew her against him, shielding her as shattered glass rained from a broken window down the hall. His voice dropped, softer but no less urgent.
"This is the breaking point, Cassandra. You have to be brave."
Her lips parted, but no words came. All she could do was cling to the sleeve of his coat as the storm outside and the war inside collided, tearing apart the world she thought she knew.
And with Julian's hand locked firmly around hers, she stepped into it.