"I'm losing him," Julian whispered as the tears rolled down from his eyes and fell on the rug. "I'm losing... me."
He was waiting for the madness or whatever was trying to eat at him to finally take him. He was tired. He didn't even know if he could make it to the next day.
He didn't know if he would get to see Alaric once again.
But just then, a faint sound tapped against the silence behind the heavy oak wardrobe.
A part of the wall shifted, and Rowan stepped through. The aide looked exhausted, his eyes darting back toward the secret passage as if expecting a shadow to follow him.
"I can't stay," Rowan whispered. "I have a letter for you, brought by Sir Kaelen."
Julian jerked up, his messy tears smeared over his face.
"You…"
"Don't ask me why I took it," Rowan said. "He was waiting near the servant's entrance, and it would've been troublesome if the Emperor heard he was there."
