The cloaked man took a step closer, his head cocked to one side as though he were studying her. Amberine felt the intensity of his gaze, the shadows under the hood concealing his face, and for a brief moment, she saw nothing but a glint of eyes—piercing, amused, and terrifyingly knowing.
"You…" His voice was a soft drawl, each word slow and deliberate, almost savoring what was about to come. "You're Polime's daughter, aren't you?"
Amberine froze, the rest of the world narrowing down to just her and the words he'd just spoken. It was like all the air had been sucked out of the room. "What…?" she whispered, her voice nearly cracking. The mention of her father—Polime—struck a deep, raw chord within her. She felt her pulse quicken, her throat tightening.
