It was well into the night when Malorie awoke from her restless slumber. Her back ached dully, and her chest shook with a quiet, lingering anxiety she could not quite soothe. A few candles burned low upon the walls, their flames trembling softly, and the house lay wrapped in silence. She could tell that Grandma Judith was asleep. Carefully, she rose and walked out into the garden, attempting to stretch her back and weary limbs as she went.
Malorie settled herself just outside the garden, before the small field of roses. She hummed a gentle tune under her breath as her fingers brushed the petals of the blooming flowers, their scent soothing her frayed nerves. Suddenly, she heard a shuffle from the shadows. Her anxiety skyrocketed, her thoughts racing wildly as her mind leapt to the dreadful idea that Marcus's men had finally discovered her whereabouts.
With her heart lodged painfully in her throat, she stared into the darkness until a tall, cloaked figure stepped forward.
