The lights blinked once and again, then everything went dark. A loud thunder boom shook the big windows, and the rain started hitting the glass harder, like the storm had been waiting for the perfect time to go wild. Celeste, who was halfway up the stairs with a heavy old book in her hand, stopped moving right away, her heart beating fast and she held her breath the second she heard slow, heavy footsteps coming from somewhere behind her in the darkness.
“Damien?” Her voice was soft but strained.
He walked into the unsteady light from the fireplace, holding a flashlight. The sudden shadows carved sharp lines on his face. He looked tired. Angry. Guarded.
She didn’t move.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice unusually quiet.
Celeste nodded slowly but her eyes didn’t leave his. “Why did the po
