Noah POV

Vincent is already at the door when I reach it.

He steps aside before I've said a word, with the smooth, preemptive efficiency of a man who was informed of my arrival before I arrived—which means Vark has people watching the approach to the estate, which means everything about this visit has already been reported and arranged for. I file that and follow him inside.

The room Vark receives me in is large and unhurried, the kind of space designed to communicate that ...