Chapter 5: The Silent Library

The silence in the carriage ride back to the manor was a physical entity, thick and suffocating. I sat as far from Kaleb as the plush interior would allow, my gaze fixed on the passing darkness outside the window. The scent of his blood, a single drop from the whip I had clumsily tried to clean, still clung to the air, a constant, accusing reminder of what I had done. He didn't look at me. He sat perfectly still, his profile a stark, unyielding line against the moonlit scenery. The bond between...