Prologue

She sat up, the covers pooling around her on the queen-sized bed.

The pale moonlight that filtered through the window cast eerie shadows around the room and the light midnight breeze caused the curtains to billow slightly. A wave of serenity swept over her in that moment as she took in the stillness of the night.

Glancing to the empty space to her right, the warmth still emitting from it told her it could not have been long since it was abandoned.

She slid off the bed and approached the nightstand where a single rose lay. She picked it up — it was red as the colour of crimson blood — and her lips twitched.

It tingles at her touch but was devoid of any smell. She was careful not to prick her finger. Laying it down, she turned and headed to the adjoined bathroom.

It had been a while since she had slept that peacefully.

She let the ice-cold water run down her body.

It had been endearing of him to accompany her this night.

Exiting the bathroom, her head turned towards the window, sensing a familiar presence. Perched on the window sill, the black raven looked at her. She walked to it, hand lifting. Still watching her with its beady eyes, it made no move to take off, instead it welcomed her touch as she stroked its head gently.

Her eyes moved to the outside of the window, taking in the quiet, empty streets and flickering lamppost lights that lit the deserted streets.

It was about time she left.

Just like he had his duties to attend, she had hers.

Perched next to the raven on the sill, her head tilt up towards the moon's soft glow briefly before returning to what lay ahead of her. Despite being hidden in the shadows of her cloak, her amethyst eyes shone and she allowed a rare, small smile to grace her lips.

Till then, she would only anticipate the next time they meet.

Without another glance back, she leaped off the edge and the raven followed.

The crimson red rose disappeared; the room left with no trace of its inhabitants.