Pearl’s POV
I don’t remember falling asleep. One moment I was curled up in the corner of that secluded chamber hiding, waiting for the guard to leave and the next, I was jolting awake, breath shallow and uneven, heart thundering like a war drum in my chest.
The room was dim, the silence far too loud. My fingers curled against the cold floor as I sat up slowly, blinking through the haze of sleep. Something didn’t feel right.
A chill crept down my spine. I wasn't alone. I could feel it.
My breaths came in fast little gasps now, too loud in the stillness. I clutched my cloak tightly around myself as my gaze darted toward the door still closed. But the air had changed. It was warmer, heavy, thick with something I couldn’t place.
No footsteps. No sound.
But the presence was unmistakable.
