Chapter 13

• I followed Joss as I saw him disappearing down the far end of the backyard. I was surprised—until I remembered there was a staircase that led to the basement. I walked toward it and was relieved to see he hadn’t closed the door behind him. I stepped inside and descended the stairs.
• The basement was dimly lit and cooler than the rest of the house, with the scent of aged wood and wine lingering in the air. Another set of stairs, narrower and older-looking, connected this part of the basement directly to the main house. Along the far wall stood rows of wine shelves, neatly stacked.
• Joss was sitting on a wooden bench facing the wine racks, his back slightly slouched. He must’ve heard my footsteps, because he turned around to look at me.