Chapter 768 - The Missing Touch (1)

The alcove's dim ember-glow pulsed like a slow heartbeat, casting faint shadows across the linen-stacked walls. Mikhailis leaned against the cool stone, his eyes closed, breath steady but shallow, the weight of the night's infiltration settling into his bones. Just one hour, he told himself, letting the castle's quiet hum lull him toward rest. The Brake Choir's distant drone wove through the air, a low hymn that felt almost like home. But then, a warmth crept in, subtle at first, like a fire kindling in the dark. What's this? The heat pressed closer, sticking to his skin, a familiar presence that made his pulse quicken despite his fatigue. Someone's here.