Chapter 1

The air around the Volkov mansion felt heavier than anywhere else. The closer I got, the quieter the world seemed.

Tall iron gates creaked open, revealing walls that loomed like they were built to keep something wild inside. The head servant leading me didn’t say much, but she didn’t have to; the tension in the air spoke for her.

Inside, everything gleamed… polished floors, portraits that followed you with their eyes, and the faint scent of cedar and smoke that clung to ...