Lena
The heavy knock on the wood felt like an axe coming down on my neck. My heart leapt into my throat, suffocating me, and beside me, Elian went entirely rigid. The thin, rehearsed mask of the gentle savior shattered on his face, leaving only a white-knuckle terror.
"Lena?" Gunnar’s voice came again, deeper this time, vibrating through the solid oak of the door. "I know you're in there. Open the door."
My hands shook, but I forced my legs to move. I couldn't look at Elian. I couldn't let Gunnar see the sheer panic passing between us. With a swift, silent motion, I stepped toward the heavy door, threw the latch, and pulled it open.
Gunnar stood in the threshold. He had changed into his dark Vanguard leather coat, his broad shoulders blocking out the light from the corridor entirely. H
