The next morning arrived, and I could feel how the air around my house had changed. It felt quieter and heavier.
My Mom is trying to go about her usual routine by pouring a tea, checking on her lesson plans, but I caught her glancing at me more than once, worrying etched into her face.
"Did you sleep at all, my dear?" she asked, setting a cup of tea on the table.
I shook my head.
The truth was, every time I closed my eyes, I saw that car, I heard that knock, and then I saw Tristan's face when he arrived, carved with something fierce, something almost frightening.
Mom's hand covered mine. "Ellie maybe this is for the best. Staying with the Donovan's until things calm down."
Her voice was steady, but I knew what it cost her. We had always been a team, the two of us against the world after Dad was gone. Leaving her, even for a little while, felt like breaking that bond.
I swallowed hard. Mom gave me a sad smile. Later that day, Tristan came to fetch me himself.
He stood in our doorway, his presence filling the small space. Even in a simple black coat, he looked out of place in our modest home, like a shadow cut from another world.
"You're packed?" he asked, his tone more command than question.
I nodded, clutching the handle of my suitcase. As I stepped out, I glanced back at Mom. She stood at the window, her hands folded together, lips moving in silent prayer.
My throat tightened.
The ride to the Donovan estate was quiet. I stared out the window, the city blurring past, until the gates came into view. Tall, grand, wrought iron, opening smoothly as if they were waiting just for us.
Inside, the house loomed like something out of a dream. Gleaming marble floors, golden light spilling from crystal fixtures, the air faintly perfumed with roses. It was beautiful, but it pressed against me, reminding me of my current plight.
Tristan's hand touched the small of my back, steadying and guiding. "You're safe here, Ellie," he murmured.
Safe.
The word should have been a comfort, but, instead, it made me shiver.
Because for the first time, I wondered. Safe from what? Safe from them or safe because I was standing next to him?
As I followed him deeper into the estate, a voice echoed from the grand hall.
"Tristan, who did you bring back with you?"
I froze. Turning the corner, I found myself face-to-face with Edward Donovan, the Donovan's father. His piercing gaze swept over me.
And in that moment, I felt my world grow even smaller.