Chapter 59: Danger

Summer's pov

My eyes darted round the room occasionally, I looked at every corner of the room making sure no one else was there.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Every movement I made, every breath I took felt too loud, too exposed. The mansion, which had once felt like a gilded cage, now seemed even more suffocating. It wasn’t just the walls closing in around me—it was the weight of everything I didn’t understand, everything I couldn’t control. 

I hadn’t told Dominic about the man in the cloak. Part of me wanted to, wanted to unload the strange encounter, but another part of me was hesitant. I didn’t know if I could trust him with this, or if I even wanted to. There was so much he didn’t know about me, things he might never understand. 

I walked through the quiet halls, my footsteps muffled on the stone floors. The castle felt deserted, like no one was home even though I knew it was filled with servants, guards, and other important figures. Everyone was preoccupied with the upcoming meeting with the Valerians. The truce. The fragile, delicate truce that hung over everything like a dark cloud, ready to burst at any moment. 

I paused at the end of the hallway, my hand on the banister as I looked down the long corridor. I couldn’t stop thinking about that man. The way he moved, the way his presence lingered. He hadn’t been a threat, not exactly. But there was something about him that made my skin crawl, something that spoke to an unease deep inside me. 

Why had he been there? Why had he been watching me? And what did he want? 

The questions gnawed at me, relentless and consuming. I could feel my pulse quicken again as the silence pressed in, and I turned, eager to retreat to the solitude of my room. 

As I walked briskly, I could almost hear Dominic’s voice in my mind, warning me again about the dangers outside these walls. "You don’t understand, Summer. You don’t know what’s out there." 

Maybe he was right. Maybe I didn’t understand. But this place was becoming more dangerous than anything out there. 

I pushed open the door to my room, quickly stepping inside and closing it behind me. The world outside could wait for a while. Inside these walls, it was just me—and the uncertainty that wrapped itself around my thoughts like a suffocating fog. 

I ran my fingers through my tangled hair, frustration rising again as I sat at the vanity. My reflection stared back at me, pale and tired, eyes filled with the weight of everything I couldn’t understand. Dominic, the mansion, the truce, the Valerians—and now, the cloaked figure who had somehow slipped into my world without a trace. 

I looked down at the locket in my hand, turning it over, as I did so often when I was lost in thought. The silver felt cold against my skin, the tiny engraving of vines and leaves shining faintly in the dim light. 

Was this truly my life now? Was I really going to stay here, playing a part in whatever game Dominic had created, or would I one day find the courage to break free? 

The sound of a knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up, startled, and hesitated before I answered. 

“Come in,” I called out, my voice barely above a whisper. 

The door creaked open, and I stood, brushing the loose strands of hair from my face. 

It was Hilda. 

I hadn’t seen her since her banishment, and the sight of her standing there, looking so worn and tired, made my heart twist. 

“Hilda,” I breathed, my voice full of shock. “What are you doing here?” 

I glanced around the corners of the halls to make sure no one else was around to see her unless she was as good as dead

She glanced around quickly, as though making sure no one could see her. Her eyes darted to mine, and there was a flicker of guilt in them. 

“I had to see you,” she whispered urgently, her voice trembling. 

I took a step toward her, my heart pounding. “What’s going on? Why are you here? You could be caught.” 

“I had to warn you,” she said, her voice shaking. “There’s something you need to know. Something about Dominic.” 

I froze, my mind racing. What could she possibly have to say about him that would make her risk everything? 

“What about him?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. 

Hilda glanced over her shoulder again, her face pale, her eyes wide with fear. “He’s not who you think he is, Summer. None of this is what it seems. There’s a danger you don’t know about, and it’s closer than you think.” 

Her words hit me like a thunderclap. My heart skipped a beat, and I could feel the blood drain from my face. 

“What do you mean? What danger?” 

She shook her head, stepping closer. “I don’t have much time. But you have to trust me. You need to be careful, Summer. Everything you think you know about Dominic, about this place, it’s all a lie.” 

I took a step back, my breath catching in my throat. “What are you talking about? Please tell me Hilda, don’t you think I need to know. What's really happened?” 

Hilda looked at me one last time, her face a mixture of sorrow and fear, before she turned and hurried out the door, disappearing into the hallway before I could say another word. 

I stood there, frozen, my mind spinning. Had she really just said that? 

Was it true? Was Dominic lying to me? 

The door clicked shut behind me, but the weight of Hilda’s words lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating. 

I had to know more. 

I had to find out the truth—before it was too late.

Why would Hilda say those things about Dominic after just praising him less than twenty four hours ago.

What happened, what did she hear?