Ember Frost’s POV

I stood outside his door for a while, straining to hear any movement inside, but everything was silent. After a moment, I lifted my hand and knocked softly.

“Please… I’d like to be alone right now,” Orion’s voice came from inside, low and distant.

“It’s me,” I said softly. “It’s Ember.”

There was no answer at first. A few silent seconds passed, long enough to make me wonder if he would simply ignore me. Then I heard footsteps, and the door ...