Helena climbed into Leofrik’s car with her heart pounding so hard she could feel the echo in her ears. She shut the door behind her with a restrained sigh, and only then realized she had been holding her breath. Leofrik turned slightly toward her, his eyes calm, a striking contrast to the tension she still carried with her.
“How did it go?” he asked in a low voice, not pressing, but with the precision of someone who knows there’s no time for pleasantries.
Helena leaned back against the seat, letting her head fall back for a moment, eyes closed before she answered.
“I hope it went well,” she murmured, then, still without opening her eyes, continued, “I told him he had to leave. That we couldn’t wait any longer. I told him to use the tunnel under the house.”
Leofrik nodded, watching her,
