But it also meant not seeing her.
And that...
That has left me distinctly out of sorts.
Being in London gave me the opportunity to visit my father before returning to the academy tonight.
I could stay until tomorrow.
The reason I won’t is obvious.
I don’t want to go another day without seeing her.
For fuck’s sake.
The car slows as we approach my father’s estate. The familiar house comes into view, warm light glows from the windows into the darkness.
The additional cars outside catch my attention immediately.
So he has company.
Perhaps I should have given some warning before arriving unannounced. If he’s hosting a dinner, I’ve chosen a poor time to visit.
The driver opens the door, and I step out. After a brief nod, I make my way up the stone steps towards the house.
Maria greets me in the hall. She’s the head housekeeper and has worked for my father for as long as I can remember.
“Good evening, sir.”
“Evening, Maria,” I reply, loosening my jacket slightly as I move past her.
“Is my father occupied?”
“He has guests for dinner,” she says with a small smile. “But I rather doubt your presence will be unwelcome.”
I never imagined it would be.
I acknowledge her with a brief tilt of my head before continuing towards the dining room.
The moment I step inside, my attention lands on the figure seated beside my father.
Fuck.
For a second, I consider the possibility that I’ve finally gone mad.
Because if one day without seeing her is enough to make me conjure Piper out of thin air, then perhaps it’s time someone locked me in a psychiatric ward.
But as I move closer, the illusion doesn’t disappear.
There she is.
Piper.
Seated between my father and hers.
For the briefest moment, everything else ceases to exist.
She looks up at the sound of my footsteps. The moment her eyes meet mine, all colour drains from her face.
