The silver light of morning offered no warmth to the courtyard of Elder Marek’s estate.
Aria was on her knees, the rough stone biting through the thin fabric of her skirt as she scrubbed at a patch of moss that looked as though it had been anchored there for decades.
Her hands were numb, the skin raw and puckered from the icy water in the wooden bucket beside her.
Yet, she did not stop because she knew with a haunting certainty that if she paused for even a second, the two shadows perched on the terrace above would find a reason to make this day even longer than the last.
High above, Elena and Bianca leaned against the stone railing.
Their high-pitched laughter cut through the quiet morning air like a jagged blade.
Draped in thick, luxurious furs, they sipped from steaming cups of
