The fire from last night had burned down to glowing coals, but the warmth in the room stayed. I woke up feeling different. For the first time since the night at the bar, I didn't feel like a bird in a cage. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I looked at the ceiling and realized I had stopped dreaming about the city. I was dreaming about them.
I got out of bed and walked to the large balcony. The estate was waking up. I could see the guards moving in the distance and the sun hitting the trees. I touched the Mark on my neck. It didn't sting. It hummed with a soft, steady pulse that felt like a second heartbeat.
"You're up early," Alaric said. He was standing by the door, wearing a simple black sweater. He didn't look like a cold professor. He looked like a man who had fi
