Zerina’s Point Of View

The moment we stepped across the threshold, the heavy oak doors of the mansion clicked shut behind us, sealing out the mundane morning world. I expected Lysander to carry me all the way up the grand staircase, perhaps straight to my room or to some other unexpected corner of his vast estate. Instead, he took a sharp turn into the dining room.

The air in here still smelled faintly of the rich coffee and lingering spices from last night's dinner, but the room itself ...