SOFIA
The lights flickered and died for three seconds before the backup generators kicked in with a low, vibrating hum.
In the north wing, the silence didn't return. Instead, I heard the heavy, metallic thud of the security shutters closing over the windows. I didn't need to talk to Clara or wait for a meal to know the house had shifted. The building was literally sealing itself shut around me.
I stood in the middle of the room, looking at the dead screens of the internal monitors. A few seconds later, the door didn't just open; it was unlocked from the outside with a sharp, electronic click.
A guard I didn't recognize stood there. He didn't come in to check on me or offer a tray. He just stood in the frame, his hand on his holster. "Stay away from the doors, Miss. We're on a full lock
