[Isolde]
Nikolai had practically thrown clothes at me while Dr. Monet produced a spray bottle from her medical bag—something that smelled vaguely of antiseptic and citrus.
"Pheromone neutraliser," she'd explained, pinching her nose while spraying it liberally over both of us. "You might smell edible to each other, but to everyone else, it's suffocating."
I'd dressed in record time, my heart hammering as Nikolai led me to a section of wall that looked completely solid until he pressed on a specific piece of moulding. The wall had clicked open, revealing a narrow passage I'd never have found on my own.
"Go with the doctor," he'd said, his hand lingering on my arm as his gaze softened. "I'll see you soon." Then he planted one last kiss on my forehead.
"Nikolai—"
"Go." He gave me a small
