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Her pleading.

The sound of her breathing fading out.

The sight of her blood mixing with melted snow.

That horrible certainty that no matter how strong I became, no matter how hard I tried, I had still failed her.

I shoot upright with sweat rolling down my temples and along my chest despite the cold room.

For a few seconds, I don’t move, I just breathe.

One.

Two.

Three.

Slowly, my heart stops trying to punch its way out of my ribs.

I drag a hand over my face and look toward the window and only see the moon hidden between the dark clouds.

The estate is quiet, but not the way it used to be before Artemis arrived.There’s laughter in the kitchen now, footsteps echoing down the hallways, the intoxicating scent of vanilla lingering in every corner, and one beautiful woman whose presence has made Winter Estate feel less like a place to hide and more like a…home.

I glance at the clock. 4:00 a.m.

I run both hands through my hair, pushing it back from my face.

For the first time in years, waking up from a nightmare doesn’t feel like waking up into another one.

I let out a slow breath and then I frown when I hear soft piano music drifting beneath my bedroom door.

Clair de Lune.

A smile tugs at my mouth.

“Princess...”

I haul my ass out of bed and open the door.

What the fuck…

I find Artemis fast asleep on the floor, curled against the wall with her phone loosely held in one hand. The melody continues playing softly through the tiny speaker.

For a second, I just stare at her.

What the fuck is she doing here?

My gaze sweeps over her, searching for any sign that something is wrong, but everything seems perfectly normal. At least, on the outside.

I notice that her oversized shirt has slipped off one shoulder, revealing the soft, golden tan of her skin, kissed by the moonlight spilling tan skin touched through the hallway windows. Her silk pants hang loosely around her legs, pooling at her ankles, while fluffy cream socks cover her feet.

Then I notice her hair.

It spills around her in soft waves, white-blonde strands framing her stunning face, with one stubborn lock clinging to her cheek.

My heart skips a thousand beats.

My Artemis.