Chapter 56

• The evening was quite, I sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the floor, waiting for Alaric to come back. He had been out all day, gathering information, trying to get word on my family. A part of me was terrified of what he might tell me, but another part of me still clung to hope. Maybe they were okay. Maybe they were alive. Maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright.
• The door opened, and I looked up to see Alaric step in. His face was grim, and my heart sank. I knew before he even said a word. I could feel it in the air, in the way he moved, the tension radiating off of him.
• He walked over to me, slowly, and knelt down in front of me, taking my hands in his. His touch was warm, grounding, but it did nothing to stop the cold dread creeping up my spine. I stared at him, searching his eyes for something, anything that could tell me what had happened.