Xerxes took a deep breath before gathering the courage to open the door. His heart was pounding in his chest drastically, never in his entire life had he felt this way. What was changing? What he expected while opening the door was to see distorted Katarina on the floor, the way he left her, crying and whimpering, wrapping her arms around herself and sobbing. His heart clenched, burning in the fire he flamed.

Sighing a sigh, he placed his palm over the knob, contemplating for several moments, and then he opened the door. The creek was followed by the thumping of his heart. His lids lifted, and he sensed her...