Katherine’s POV
I stayed behind the curtain until I was sure Alaric was gone. My legs felt stiff when I stepped out and I kept looking at the door even though it was closed. I tried to calm my breathing as I fixed the laptop screen back to how it was before, then I slipped out of Stephen’s room fast. I didn’t look back once because if anyone saw me near that door, I had no excuse.
The hallway was quiet, and the guards who were supposed to stand outside weren’t there. They must have gone to switch shifts and Alaric had used the opening. I rushed down the stairs and kept my head down until I reached the dining hall. There were several long tables arranged neatly, and I spotted Jessie and the others still seated at one end. No one seemed to notice that I had disappeared for a while, which h
