The pale morning light didn't bring warmth; it just turned the velvet walls a dull, charcoal gray.
Clara woke up alone, her heart instantly racing as the reality of the bedroom settled in. She turned her head, but the other side of the king's bed was empty; the bed looked untouched, the sheets smooth and flawless.
The only sign Alexander had been there was the lingering scent of sandalwood and cold rain on the pillow.
She sat up, her wrapped wrist throbbing with a dull ache. On the nightstand sat a tailored emerald silk blouse, dark trousers, a heavy brass key, and a short, scrawled note.
The doctor cleared you. Don't leave the wing. The biometric locks are updated to your print.
Clara stared at the old brass key. It looked completely out of place in this hyper-modern fortress. "Don'
