CASSIAN
The garden sat at the back of the estate, hidden from the main house by thick rows of hedges.
It was a part of the grounds the gardeners kept tidy, but no one ever actually went there.
It was a ghost of a place. No one was supposed to be out here at this hour, which was exactly why it was perfect for us.
The moon was full and heavy in the sky. It cast a light so bright that the grass looked silver.
The shadows were sharp, cutting across the stone paths like black knives. It was the kind of light that made everything familiar look slightly wrong, as if the world had been swapped for a copy while I wasn't looking.
I found him near the far wall. It was the spot where the manicured lawn ended and the wild trees began.
Julian was standing there, but he wasn't in his usual staff uniform. He was wearing his own clothes, the fabric dark and worn. His chestnut hair was loose, caught by the slight breeze. At his feet sat a bag.
