Breakfast at the Donovan table was unusually silent. Commonly, Marie's soft chatter filled the air, Sophia teased her brothers, and even Edward's gruff presence provided a sense of steadiness. Still, today, everyone seemed watchful and tense, as if waiting.
The servants glided through the dimly lit room with hurried steps, their anxious glances flickering toward me more often than not. I attempted to maintain an air of calm, taking delicate sips of my tea, though my hands trembled ever so slightly. Deep within, the haunting memories of last night loomed like an insidious shadow, refusing to be forgotten.
A guard stepped into the room, his polished uniform glinting in the soft light, as he cradled a pale envelope delicately in his gloved hand. "Miss, this letter has just arrived at our mailbox," he declared with a formal nod.
His gaze swept past Edward, Tristan, and even Sophia, settling instead on me with an intensity that made my heart quicken.
"For Miss Ellie Everett," he announced, his voice firm and clear, as if the name itself held a weight of consequence.
The whole room froze.
My fingers tingled as I reached for the envelope; its weight felt oppressive, twisting my stomach into knots. Edward's voice sliced through the tension like a knife. "Hand it over."
I shook my head, my voice steady yet quiet. "It's addressed to me."
With a tentative flick, I slid my finger beneath the seal, ignoring Tristan's hovering hand poised to snatch it from my grasp if I hesitated. The paper unfolded with a soft crackle, but the words inside struck me like a punch to the gut.
"Pretty little bird in the wrong nest.
How long before your wings are clipped?"
My vision clouded, the words swirling as I took in a crude sketch of a cage, its door firmly shut.
I could feel the colour drain from my face.
In an instant, Tristan grabbed the letter from my unsteady hands, fury radiating from him like a wildfire. "They're going straight for her now," he growled, his voice low and dangerously calm.
Edward took hold of the paper, his face a mask of composure, but I watched as the shadows deepened in his eyes with each passing moment. "This isn't just a warning. They're marking her as the target."
I swallowed hard, forcing air into my lungs, my hands trembling at my sides. Straightening my posture, I cast aside my fear. I wouldn't let them see me break, not Tristan, not Edward, and certainly not the faceless tormentor behind those words.
Marie's hand found mine beneath the table, warm and reassuring. Sophia's eyes shimmered with concern, her lips pressed tightly together as if she battled with whether to speak or stay silent. And then there was Tristan, already on his feet, pacing like a caged beast. His anger crackled in the air, and for once, I wanted that fury channelled toward a single purpose, which is me.
As the fear gnawed at my insides, another flame ignited. Resolve. If I turned and ran, I'd be caged, and I'd let them win. No, I wouldn't let that happen in this lifetime.
I lifted my chin, defiance surging through me. "They'll see I'm not so easy to trap."
The words trembled slightly, but they were undeniably mine. For the first time since the shadow had slithered into my life, I felt a surge of control rushing back to me.
That night, an unexpected surprise arrived at the Donovan estate. A figure stepped through the front door, intriguing and unsettling for having bypassed the estate's strict security. The hallway lights illuminated their familiar smile, leaving everyone to wonder how they had evaded Donovan's vigilant guards.