CHAPTER 14

A foggy haze hung in the morning air, painting New York a garish coat of gray. A bird nested on a willow tree ruffled its feathers once and then preened. A lone song from its beak pierced the still of the morning as it flew away.

Dear God, Felix breathed and sighed. His shoulders heaved once as his arms folded behind him, and the glass window he stood in front of provided a pristine view of the city. Almost ethereal; like a haunted graveyard, but he did not care for ghosts or hallowing haunts. He was deep in thought.

“Felix?” A voice called from behind the heavy wooden door.

It was Samantha. He knew it would be. No one else called him Felix here in New York, and no one else called out instead of knocking.

He sighed. “Door’s open.”

The door flung open and Samantha waltzed in with a tea set in her hands, somehow still walking as graciously as she would at court. As if the queen were watching her right now, as she always did when she was younger, polished cane in hand and flowing white g