The mansion was silent. The kind of silence that felt heavy, like a held breath.
In the Master Suite (which Bastian had moved into so Anaïs could have the Guest Wing), Bastian was staring at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. The adrenaline of fighting his mother had worn off, leaving him with a hollow ache.
She's in my house, he thought. But she feels miles away.
Suddenly, a sound pierced the silence.
A cry.
High-pitched, distressed, and terrified.
"Mommy!"
Bastian was out of bed before his brain even registered the movement. He sprinted down the hallway, barefoot, his heart hammering against his ribs.
He reached the Guest Wing at the same time Anaïs opened her door.
She was wearing a silk robe, her hair wild, her eyes wide with panic. She didn't have her cane. She was leaning heavily on the wall.
"Sacha?" Anaïs gasped.
They both rushed into Sacha's room.
