Cain walked ahead, his movements slow but deliberate, while Uva followed closely behind, her footsteps light yet hesitant.
Though she couldn't see his face, she felt the tension rolling off him in waves, thick enough to smother the very air around them. Her body stiffened in response, a tremor running down her spine despite her best efforts to suppress it.
All night, they had waited outside.
Not a single soul had dared to step into the mansion or leave without Cain's express permission. Even the slightest movement had been measured, breaths held as if any disturbance might draw his ire.
Uva hadn't slept—not that she expected to. The night had been spent in endless contemplation, her mind cycling through every possible scenario, each more gruesome than the last.
How do I survive this?
That was the only question that mattered.
