JULIO'S POV
The house was quieter than it used to be.
Not in the obvious way.
People still moved. Doors still opened and closed. Voices still carried faintly through the halls.
But something had shifted beneath all of that.
Something tense.
I leaned against the pillar just outside the corridor, watching as two guards passed by. They didn’t notice me. Or maybe they chose not to.
Either way, it worked in my favor.
Xavier had already started tightening things.
That much was clear.
More guards.
Fewer movements.
More questions.
He was getting close.
I pushed off the pillar and walked down the corridor slowly, my steps quiet against the floor. I didn’t rush. There was no reason to.
Rushing drew attention.
And right now, attention was the one thing I couldn’t afford.
A servant ne
