---
But this? No proper answer. No release. No permission to report back.
And tonight —tonight— was the time the heir had originally intended for the meeting.
One hour.
Less, perhaps, by now.
Kess stood at the window of his assigned room and looked out toward the outer grounds of Dawn House, where the lamps had begun to brighten as true night took shape. The guest house sat outside the main residence, close enough to be counted as part of the estate, far enough to make it clear that visitors stayed in controlled layers. Clever. Everything about this household was clever in ways he increasingly disliked.
He could not even decide what frightened him more.
That Mihos would believe he had failed.
Or that Mihos would believe he had failed weakly.
Failure alone could be explained.
Weakness of execution was harder.
