Darius drove them out of town. The road grew quiet. Houses thinned. Trees leaned close to the road like guards. Ivy watched the dark move past the window. She felt small and tired and a little strange. He did not speak much. The car hummed. It felt safe.

At last, the gates opened. Darius’s house sat on the edge of the outskirts. It was not a cold old place. It was warm. The stone was smooth. Big windows looked out at the trees. Flowers grew in boxes along the porch. The path to the door had ...