The scalding water of the shower finally washed away the lingering fatigue and the phantom scent of copper from Ethan's skin. Stepping out into the dark, quiet suite with a towel slung loosely over his shoulders, he found the dining room completely empty, the grand feast now cold and abandoned under the pale moonlight.
He walked into the master bedroom. There, buried deep beneath the thick woolen blankets of the larger bed, was Louisa. She was curled into a tight, defensive ball, wrapped so tightly in the sheets that she looked like a fragile silk cocoon, completely hiding herself from the world.
Ethan quietly walked over to the secondary bed across the room. He sat on the edge, his amethyst eyes tracking the slight, rhythmic tremble of the blankets.
"Are you still awake, Louisa?" Ethan asked softly, his deep voice carrying a gentle, low resonance through the quiet room.
Absolute silence.
