I froze when I saw who stood at my door.
Shock rippled through me, sharp and sudden, followed quickly by suspicion. What was he doing here at this hour? He should be in his tower! Anywhere else but here.
The dim lantern light from the hall made his features sharper—silver hair catching like steel, the rest of him carved in shadow.
His expression was unreadable, but his eyes… his eyes were darker than usual, shadowed in a way that made my stomach tighten and my wolf stir uneasily under my skin.
Was he here to punish me for what I'd said earlier? To remind me of my place in some subtle way that wouldn't break our bargain but would still leave its mark?
The thought made my throat dry.
What form of punishment could he choose? A threat? A cruel game of words? Something worse?
My grip on the doorknob loosened as heat prickled across my palms. I instinctively took a step back, the cool air of the room brushing against my bare arms.
