Filling the doorway like he owned the entire room, like this had been his plan all along. He leaned against the frame with the ease of someone who belonged everywhere, even in places he shouldn’t. His mask still covered his face—black and sharp, with edges that caught the faint glow of the lamp. It made him look more dangerous, almost unreal, like a figure that had stepped out of a nightmare and yet looked far too perfect to be human.

Before I could even find my voice, before I could demand ...