Bailey’s POV
Night at Rider’s palace felt different. It was quieter than the place I had lived my whole life.
The palace was illuminated by dim lights that cast golden shadows across the walls. Slowly, I was losing count of the days I had been holed up in this damn room.
I was standing near the balcony when I heard footsteps approaching. After a few days of staying here, I had learned to recognize those footsteps, also with the way my pulse began racing beneath my skin whenever I heard them.
The Mark on my throat warmed slowly.
He was coming.
I hurried back to bed. I expected a knock and hadn’t even fully settled when the door suddenly flew open, startling me.
Rider.
He walked in slowly while I pretended to be asleep. He gently closed the door, removed his gloves, and placed them o
