Edward.
The man I had danced with at the ball. His head, severed, rested in a pool of dark, glistening blood.
The wooden lid slipped from my hands, clattering to the floor. The air seemed to thicken around me, heavy with the copper scent of death. My maids burst into the room, faces pale, eyes wide with terror. But I instinctively flung myself over the box, shielding it.
"Is anything the matter, my lady?" one whispered, fear trembling in her voice.
I forced a laugh, hollow and broken. "I… I am fine. You may leave."
They hesitated, uncertainty flashing across their faces. I snapped, voice sharp and icy. "Get out!"
The maids scrambled away, the door banging behind them. Silence swallowed the chamber.
My legs trembled violently as I stood, knees weak, heart hammering against my ribcage. I locked the door, rushing back to the box, desperate to know the reason for this monstrous gift.
