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"Lock the door and the window. Do not open it for anyone other than Elena. Do not make a noise, do not look outside the window," Nicholas ordered, his voice firm yet shaking at the edges.

Emberline looked at him, unable to process the weight of his words. Her ears rang, the silence after the chaos outside pressing down on her. It was as though she couldn’t reconcile the sudden stillness with the roaring bedlam that had preceded it.

He continued, dishing out mandates in a tone that betrayed his growing unease. His hands gestured sharply, but his movements were unsteady, breaking the veneer of control he so desperately clung to. Emberline could see the concern etched into his face, and she knew he was trying to hide it. He always did.

"When can I see you again, Nicholas?" she interrupted him, her voice cutting through his commands. She stood at the base of the stairs, her fingers brushing against his, though she knew full well he could not follow her to the top.