CHAPTER 011

I felt cold as I heard the scream. It was a cry of sheer dread rather than one of rage or frustration. After a brief moment of eye contact, Lucas and I ran to the corridor.

The smell of blood initially struck me; it was dense, metallic, and almost suffocating. As we rounded the corner, the sight of a small group of people filled my stomach with nausea. As everyone took in the scene, whispers gave way to gasps and eventually to quiet.

A corpse.

scampered around the floor, still. The guard had a deep, gaping wound on his throat, and blood gathered beneath his motionless body. He was stopped in shock, his eyes wide. A cautionary tale? A message? Or the beginning of something more serious?

Fear and uneasiness filled the air in the estate, making it heavier. My fingers clenched into fists, and I backed away shakily.

"What on earth went wrong?" As Ryan came down the stairs with a piercing, accusing glare, his voice broke through the whispers. His mother was just behind him, her face unreadable.

One of the servants muttered, scarcely raising his voice above a breath, "Someone killed him." "And the person who did it is still inside."

Lucas moved in my direction. defensive. Protected. I could sense the stress evaporating from him in waves and the heat radiating from his body. He was prepared to battle. He was ready to tear someone apart.

"What did someone see?" Ryan made a demand.

Quiet.

With my heart thumping in my ears, I took a deep drink. Had nobody noticed anything? That was nonsensical. There were a lot of servants and guards here. In a crowded house, how did someone get away with murder?

Then I caught Mrs. Carter's icy stare.

"This began when she got here."

A shiver of unease ran up my back. "You believe I was involved in this?" My voice sounded harsher than I intended, but I was tired of playing the scared girl in the corner.

"I believe you caused problems in my house."

Before I could, Lucas moved forward, his posture tight, his voice low. "You're unaware of that."

She studied him with a tiny twist of her head. "You do, too?"

Lucas's eyes glimpsed something perilous. Could it be a cautionary tale, or something more?

Ryan breathed sharply, wiping his temple before turning to the throng. "Nobody leaves this house until we find out who did this."

The servants were in a panic. whispers. Fear. Neither they nor I wanted to be stranded here with a killer.

I backed away and muttered, "I need fresh air." Suddenly, the smell of blood was too strong, the walls too near.

Lucas was with me right away. "You won't go anywhere by yourself."

Ryan put himself in our way. "Lucas, since when do you set the rules?"

Lucas's mouth clenched. "Because she's not secure."

Ryan grinned, but his grin was not amused. "Perhaps she shouldn't be here at all if she is in danger."

Lucas yelled, "She didn't kill anyone."

Something gloomy crossed Ryan's face as his gaze darted between us. ownership. Command. The fact that Lucas stood between him and me annoyed him.

The tension was as intense as the crackling of a live wire.

Lucas brushed past Ryan, knelt next to the dead guard, and said, "I want to see the body." After hovering his fingers over the wound, he muttered a curse. "An ordinary knife couldn't have done this."

"What do you mean?" With a shaky voice, I asked.

His demeanour was gloomy, as he gazed up at me. "These cuts are too accurate. Too tidy. Whoever did this was fully aware of their actions.

I felt a chill go through me. I shuddered at the idea of a professional murderer prowling the property.

Ryan folded his arms. "Are you implying that we have a hired killer in our home?"

Lucas retorted, "I'm suggesting you take this more seriously."

Mrs. Carter's voice was like ice as she spoke. "We need to search the house."

Ryan didn't think twice. "Agreed. Until we have answers, nobody can sleep.

Lucas faced me. "Remain near."

I had a constricted throat. "I don't believe I have an option."

He looked at me. "You have options all the time."

Did I?

Because I felt like my destiny had already been decided for me at this moment.

—

The search turned up nothing. The search found no evidence of a murder weapon. There was no evidence of any forced entry. No clues. The estate was gripped by a thick and unrelenting fear.

By the time the halls emptied, tiredness pulled at my limbs, but sleep was the last thing on my mind. Every shadow looked darker. Every sound seemed sharper. I shut my door, but that didn't make me feel any safer.

A faint knock made my heart leap into my throat.

I paused. "Who is it?"

"Lucas."

My pulse slowed, but only a little. He entered after I unlocked the door and closed it after him.

His voice was soft but forceful as he continued, "You shouldn't be alone."

"I don't want to be by myself."

His gaze clouded. "Then you're not."

Something unspoken went between us. There was a delicate, perilous force that neither of us desired to identify. He was too near. It's too hot. Too enticing.

His fingers brushed over my wrist as he extended his hand. It was a slight touch, yet it made me shiver.

"You're trembling," he whispered.

"I'm afraid."

He remained silent. He simply tightened his arms around me and drew me against him. The commotion temporarily subsided as my head landed on his chest. This moment was fleeting.

Then there was movement outside my window.

I tensed up. "Lucas—"

"I observed it."

We both turned simultaneously. We weren't imagining it, but the curtains barely moved. Someone was out there, observing.

Lucas grabbed the window and pulled it open. Nothing. There was only the darkness outside the estate grounds and the wind.

After muttering a curse, he turned back to face me with a lethal expression. Someone is manipulating you.

A knot of coldness grew in my stomach. "I don't think they've finished yet."