Jeffrey wasn’t sure what felt heavier—the air or the silence that waited inside the dorm when Butler Arden’s car disappeared behind the university gates. The ride back had been quiet, filled only with the hum of the engine and the occasional glance from the old butler through the rear-view mirror. Arden had said nothing more than “Take care of yourself, young master,” before driving off.
Jeffrey stood there for a while, watching the car vanish into traffic before finally turning toward the building. He could already picture the expression waiting for him upstairs—the combination of irritation and worry that only Gilbert could pull off so effortlessly.
And sure enough, when he stepped inside their room, Gilbert was sitting on the edge of his bed, arms folded and eyes sharp.
“Where the he
