The moment Lucius stepped further into the house, the unease in his chest solidified into something heavier.
The air was still. Unnaturally so.
He scanned the dining room again—Catherine’s meal was still untouched, the candles she had lit had burned low. She had waited for him.
So why wasn’t she here?
Lucius turned toward the hallway, striding toward her room when—
His footstep faltered.
Something was wrong.
A flicker of movement outside the window caught his attention. His sharp gaze darted toward the garden beyond the house, but the figures that should have been patrolling were nowhere in sight.
His instincts kicked in instantly.
Lucius strode toward the door, throwing it open. Cold night air rushed against his skin as his eyes swept over the estate grounds. The security team th
