The day bled into dusk far too quickly, the shadows stretching long across the corridors of the estate. My thoughts had been unsettled since that morning, since Selene’s quiet intrusion and Damian’s declaration that I was his. The words still echoed within me, heavy with promise and yet fragile as glass.
I walked slowly through the gardens, seeking refuge among the roses and lilacs, their fragrance cloying and sweet. For a moment, I tried to lose myself in their delicate beauty, but even here, I felt the press of unseen eyes. Every corner, every whisper of wind reminded me that Selene lingered close, watching, waiting.
A crunch of footsteps on the gravel path tightened my chest.
I turned—and there he was. Damian. His tall form moved with quiet grace, though I sensed the weight he carrie
