Vincent breathed slowly, steadying himself. “I came because I needed answers. If you cannot give them right now, then I will continue the investigation separately.”
“Then do that,” I said. “But leave my home.”
Something flickered in his eyes. It looked like hurt or frustration; I could not tell. It was gone before I could examine it.
He nodded once. “Fine.”
He turned. The guards followed him out, and the door closed behind them with a heavy thud.
I let the wolf authority fade. The spirit dissolved quietly, leaving only a soft residue of energy across the room. My throat tightened as the silence closed in again. Part of me wanted to sink into the couch and let exhaustion take over. Another part felt strangely hollow from the way Vincent had looked at me, even if he had not spoken the s
