Was she dreaming?
She wasn't sure.
With her mind still clouded by sleep, Arabella struggled to return to consciousness, yet the screeching noises that had awakened her, taking her away from her confused dreams, still broke the stillness of the night.
Sobs.
Someone was weeping somewhere nearby, sobbing desperately and the echo rippled through the air, making her frown.
Forcing herself to open her eyes, Arabella stifled a profuse yawn and rubbed her heavy, opaque eyes to check the time.
Half past four in the morning, it was almost dawn.
Outside, the sky was still cloaked in the darkness of the night and there were no stars to lighten the pitch dark in which she groped her way, careful not to trip over anything, as she reached the communicating door that divided her rooms from those of
