Vladimir lay curled beneath the bed with his knees hugged tightly to his chest, hidden in the narrow pocket of shadow where he had remained ever since Ekaterina's storm had passed through the apartment.
The cramped space had become something of a sanctuary over the years, a place where he could retreat whenever the world outside felt too loud, too frightening, or too unpredictable. Dust clung to the floorboards beneath him, and the darkness wrapped around his small frame like a blanket as he sat with his knees drawn tightly against his chest. Clutched securely in his arms were the two things he valued most.
