MADELINE
The silence at the breakfast table after that felt like a living thing. It breathed. It waited. It watched me the same way Aldric was watching me right now.
I reached for the serving platter of eggs and bacon and scooped a small portion onto my plate. My hand didn't shake. I made sure of that. The fork clinked softly against the porcelain and I set it down with care before moving to the pitcher of water.
Aldric's gaze burned into the side of my face but I didn't look at him. I just poured the water into my glass. Slow and steady. The liquid filled the cup halfway and I set the pitcher back down.
"Elara," Aldric said suddenly.
His daughter looked up from her plate where she'd been pushing around a piece of bacon. "Yes?"
"I noticed something odd this morning when I returned to my room." His tone was casual, almost conversational. Like he was discussing the weather. "A watch I kept in my dresser drawer seems to have moved."
