The brush moved slowly through my hair. Each stroke was a countdown. I had purposely left my balcony doors unlocked, the cool night air tugging at the sheer curtains, inviting the darkness in. I knew the layout of this manor better than anyone—I knew which floorboards groaned and which shadows were deep enough to swallow a man whole.
A soft, frantic knock sounded at my door—three rapid taps, the signal.
I didn't even turn around. "Enter."
The door creaked open and shut with a click that sounded like a trap snapping shut. I looked into the vanity mirror and saw Maegel standing there. He was no longer in his formal royal coat; he had changed into a loose, silken shirt that was half-unbuttoned, as if he had been in the middle of preparing for bed when Mina arrived.
His silver-blue hair was slightly tousled, and his chest was heaving, his blue eyes blown wide with a mix of alarm and raw desire.
