The door to the Blackwood estate shut behind him with a solid thud, echoing down the darkened halls.
Daxus exhaled.
The silence of the mansion wrapped around him like a heavy cloak, but it did nothing to ease the weight in his chest. Only one thing could. One person.
He moved through the corridors without sound, his pace quickening as he climbed the stairs to the master suite. The door was cracked open, light from the fireplace spilling into the hallway like gold.
She was curled on his bed, lost in the vast sheets, her form barely a silhouette against the pillows. Her breathing was even, her face peaceful. Too peaceful.
She didn’t belong in that sterile dorm. Not anymore.
Carefully, reverently, Daxus approached. He slipped his arms under her and lifted her into his chest. She stirred
