He didn’t respond.
Footsteps sounded from deeper inside the space—measured, unhurried, and suddenly the room didn’t feel quite so empty.
Alois’s posture shifted almost imperceptibly beside me. Subtle enough that most people wouldn’t catch it.
Two figures stepped into view.
The man moved first—broad-shouldered, grounded, carrying himself with a kind of authority that didn’t need volume to be felt. His gaze landed on Alois immediately, sharp and assessing, like he was cataloging everything in front of him in a single sweep.
The woman beside him softened the space without trying. Warmth layered over composure, her presence balancing his in a way that felt practiced and natural.
I straightened instinctively, suddenly aware of the fact that I had no idea where I was or who I was standing in front of.
Alois stepped forward before I could say anything. “This is Bea,” he announced, his voice even. “Bea, this is Gavin Hayes and his better half, Myla.”
No explanation.
No titles.
Just names.
Should I know these people?
Gavin’s eyes flicked to me briefly, a quick acknowledgment, before settling back on Alois. “You still hit like you mean it,” he chuckled.
Alois didn’t react immediately. He held his gaze, steady, unflinching.
“Usually do,” he replied.
Something passed between them then—quiet, unspoken, but solid enough that I felt it standing a few feet away. Respect. The kind that didn’t come easily.
“Good,” Gavin returned simply, like that closed the subject.
Myla stepped forward then, her attention shifting fully tome, her smile immediate and disarming. “Hi,” she sang warmly, closing the distance without hesitation. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
Before I could process that, she pulled me into a hug—quick, natural, like we’d done it before. She smelled like something soft and clean, layered with something brighter underneath, and the contact grounded me faster than anything else had since we walked in.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I managed when she pulled back.
Her eyes lingered on my face for a moment—observant, thoughtful, like she was taking in more than I was saying.
“Coffee?” she asked.
“Tea, if you have it,” I mumbled, softer than I intended, the request slipping out with a hint of self-consciousness I couldn’t quite hide.
Her smile widened, pleased in a way that felt oddly personal. “Good answer,” she murmured, already turning toward the kitchen.
I stood there for half a second longer than I should have, watching her move through the space ease and pose.
“You made it up here without killing him?” Ezra’s voice cut in behind us.
Relief threaded through me at the familiarity of it, something steady in a room that suddenly felt like it carried weight I didn’t fully understand.
“It was a close call,” I replied, glancing back at him.
Alois exhaled quietly beside me, the sound low and unimpressed.
Gavin’s attention shifted between us, something faintly amused flickering through his expression, like he was already ten steps ahead of whatever dynamic he was watching play out.