He was closer than ever.
Aria could feel it in her chest. The air itself felt heavier that night, like it carried the scent of danger. Every shadow in the hallway looked alive, every sound too sharp. She walked slowly toward her room, her hand shaking as she held the edge of the wall for balance.
Lorenzo and Sebastian had both left, each for their own reason. Sebastian said he had to "handle business," but Aria knew it meant something darker. Lorenzo had disappeared without a word, like smoke fading from the room. That left her alone, surrounded by silence and the faint ticking of the clock.
She didn't turn on the lights. Somehow, it felt safer in the dark.
Her reflection caught her in the window — pale, tired, eyes rimmed with red. She barely recognized the woman looking back at her. The queen was gone. The wife was gone. Only the hunted remained.
Aria swallowed hard and whispered, "Who are you?" But the reflection didn't answer.
