I looked around the room, desperately searching for anything that might give away the lie. Anything not human.
But his imitation of a person deserved a medal. Every detail was perfect. Too perfect. What was his real form? How long had he been cosplaying as a human?
My eyes drifted back to him—I froze.
My heart slammed into my chest.
The moonlight poured through the window, hitting the floorboards between us. My shadow stretched clearly beneath me, long and narrow.
I hadn’t noticed it because of the anger.
But…
Mine was the only shadow.
He was standing inches away right in front of me.
And there was nothing.
No shape.
No echo of his body on the ground.
Just mine.
The memory of the shadowless creature that had craned its neck to my window the night I arrived came crashing down. The one I’d told myself was real. That my mind hadn’t made up.
It had been him.
He’d been here. Staring at me through my window.
A gasp ripped out of me and I staggered back, my phone slipping from my hand and crashing to the floor. My palm flew to my mouth as I slowly returned my gaze to him.
He didn’t move.
He only lowered his gaze to where my shadow stretched alone, seeing what I saw, realising that I saw it.
And then he—nothing. No panic. No explanation. He simply lifted his eyes back to me with the same unbothered stare.
I should’ve asked what he was.
Should’ve demanded why he had no shadow.
Why he’d been at my window.
Why he’d moved into this house.
Why me.
Why now.
I should’ve asked.
But I didn’t.
Because I panicked.
Because flight kicked in.
