DESDEMONA

The moment I heard Alaric's voice, something inside me tightened.

"She's here."

I stood completely still, my fingers still wrapped around the piece of parchment I had found beneath the stone. I didn't know who he was talking about, but I already knew the answer. There was only one woman who could make the entire castle feel as though it had stopped breathing.

Muna.

I hurried toward the courtyard, keeping enough distance that Alaric wouldn't notice me following him. He moved quickly, his shoulders tense, his hands clenched at his sides. The guards he passed immediately stepped aside, but none of them dared question where he was going. His...