Thorne jogged up the stairs to his room, sweaty and spent. His time with Ember in the maze had turned into a game of finding her rather than finding their way out. She had been a strong contender throughout, managing to evade him until it was time to figure out the exit, where she finally surrendered and stuck to his side after he playfully threatened to leave her behind in the maze. He smiled at the memory.
His expression closed up as he approached his door. He definitely didn’t want to see the parasite encroaching on his life right now. He hadn’t thought about his long-term plans with Serene, choosing instead to block it out entirely. But he knew he had to get ahead of the situation, to protect his interests and those of his Luna.
He pushed the door open stoically, stepping inside and
