The Manor was finally quiet.
It took nearly an hour, but Roxy had successfully wrangled the children into their respective beds. Drax had fallen asleep with one wing draped protectively over Axel and Onyx's mattress, while Iris and Tanith were curled together in a pile of soft blankets in the girls' room.
With the Manor plunged into the quiet dark of the night, the crushing weight of exhaustion finally settled into Roxy's bones.
She stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, pulling the oversized cotton shirt tighter around her thighs. Her plan was simple: walk straight to the guest room at the end of the hall, crawl into the bed Syris had prepared, and immediately pass out.
She wouldn't give him a single chance.
But as she turned the corner, Zarek stood blocking the corridor. His arms were crossed over his broad chest, his jaw set in a hard, uncompromising line. He didn't want her to go.
But she was going either way.
