Evelyne sighed, leaning against the cold stone railing of her balcony. The stars were bright, yet the night felt heavy, oppressive.
She had seen him again.
The shadow in the forest.
He was always there. Watching. Hiding. Stalking her.
Was he a hunter? A madman? Or something worse?
The castle was empty, save for the few servants who dared remain. Her parents had died when she was just a girl, swallowed by the sea in a shipwreck that had left her the last of her line.
She was alone now.
But not unseen.
Her fingers tightened on the railing. If he truly meant to harm her, why hadn't he struck yet? Why did it feel like—
A sudden scream cut through the night.
She gasped, stepping back from the balcony.
It came from the forest.
From him.
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