She woke alone. Dex was gone again.
The moon hung in the sky. Dex's scent was still fresh on the pillow.
Serena sat up slowly. Her head felt thick and foggy, like it was stuffed with cotton.
She pulled on a short silk robe and slipped on her boots.
She didn't understand what compelled her to do it, but she moved toward the door. Her legs carried her forward of their own accord, and her mind was strangely quiet.
The corridor was empty at this hour. Torches burned low in their sconces. Her boots were silent on the stone floor.
She didn't know where she was going. But something was pulling her forward, and she couldn't resist the urge to follow.
Footsteps echoed in the corridor ahead.
Serena ducked behind a painting, and her fingers found a hidden latch that she didn't know she knew existed. The wall gave way, and she slipped into a narrow tunnel that smelled of dust and forgotten years.
