Who have you been speaking to?

Time was counting for Alice. It was just past 6 AM, and the unfamiliar luxurious room offered no solace. She didn't even have the time to wonder what reason had made Pricilla call her to come out by this ungodly hour. She snatched a t-shirt and shorts—the first things she grabbed from the suitcase Suzy had brought—and hurried into the bathroom. There was no time for contemplation.

Mouthwash. Gargle.

Face. Wash. Swish, swish.

Concealer? No time.

But powder. She grabbed it, dabbing it quickly onto her face. It didn't cover much, but it did a good job.

By the time she raced down the grand staircase, the doorbell was already ringing insistently, echoing through the silent mansion like a war cry.

Rowan was there, standing with the door ajar, his expression a masterpiece of weary disdain.