Chapter 16

• Cesmae's POV
• My heart pounds against my ribs as I push open the door to my room, each creak of the hinges echoing in the oppressive silence that follows. Kylian stands at the far end, his back turned to me. I can’t see his face, but his posture is rigid as if he was searching for something before I walked in. The orange hue of the setting sun filters through the curtains, casting a long shadow over the room. I froze, the door was half-open behind me, and my breath caught in my throat.
• Before I can react, Kylian whips around, and our eyes meet. His expression is unreadable, a mask of controlled emotion that does nothing to ease the suspicion clawing at my insides. My heart races even faster, and I try to steady my voice as I force myself to speak. “What are you doing here?” I ask, my tone firmer than I feel.