Idena had just turned to remove the indigo velvet from the hooks when she heard a quiet, deliberate stomp of boots down the stone corridor outside. Not the hasty kind. No—this was the slow, heavy kind that signaled authority, irritation, and one very large man about to reclaim what was his.
Aimee perked up instantly, smiling like a fox as she leaned closer to the door.
"Well, well," she whispered. "Sounds like someone's gotten tired of waiting."
Aylin blinked. "Waiting for what?"
"To see you in something that isn't half bandages, half blanket," Aimee replied, stretching like a cat. "Brace yourself."
Sasha stepped inside and ducked slightly beneath the carved lintel. He filled the space instantly, like the room had been holding its breath.
