Eliza had barely finished breakfast when Stephan rose from his seat with a calmness that belied the tension his brother had left behind.
His fingers, long and elegant, extended toward her like an invitation and a trap at the same time.
"Come with me," he asked, his voice so soft it almost seemed like an echo. "I want to show you something he would never let you see."
Eliza hesitated for a moment, but curiosity overcame instinct.
She placed her hand on his.
His skin was warm, firm... and the contact caused a shiver she couldn't name.
They walked through the side corridors of the castle, where silence hung heavy and the windows let in beams of light tinted red and violet.
The air smelled of ancient stone, melted wax, and that scent of sea that always seemed to follow Stephan.
Neither spoke during the journey.
Only the sound of their footsteps accompanied the whisper of wind slipping through the stained glass.
