As Quinlan stepped out of the master bedroom, the quiet of the mansion met his ears, and its welcoming smell met his nose, creating a calm rhythm he hadn't felt in some time.
The tall doors opened, and there she stood.
Eira, the young maid he had once saved from the cruelty of the Greenvale twins after being bought in the auction, froze mid-step when her eyes landed on him. Then her lips parted, and tears welled instantly. She dropped into a deep bow, and her voice came shaking with joy.
"W–welcome back, Master Quinlan."
He stopped. The sound of her voice, the tremor in it, the sheer disbelief, it all told him everything. Slowly, he turned his gaze to the woman in his arms.
"I was out for a while, huh?" he murmured.
Seraphiel chuckled softly, her tone somewhere between fondness and teasing. "You could say that."
But Quinlan's focus drifted back to Eira. Something about her looked different.
