Arielle stepped into Ethan’s chambers

The door closed behind her with a low sound.

The chamber was dim, lit only by the fire and the thin wash of moonlight filtering through tall windows. Ethan stood in front of a painting, his back to her, hands braced against his back.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence pressed. It Tested.

Arielle took a breath and broke it first.

“Are you going to look at me,” she asked calmly, “or should I pretend I’m speaking to the ...