Franz woke before the alarm.
For a moment he didn't understand why.
The room was dark. The gray light of early morning barely touched the edges of the curtains.
Outside, the snowfall had thickened overnight. The garden beyond the glass had become a soft white blur.
Then he heard it.
A small, strained sound from the hallway.
Crying.
Franz sat up.
The sound came again. Muffled. Uneven.
Lily.
He pushed the blankets aside and crossed the room without bothering with the lights. The floor felt cold under his feet as he moved toward the hallway.
The door to the twins' bedroom was already open when he arrived.
Arianne stood beside the bed with Lily in her arms. The girl clung tightly to her sweater, her small body trembling with fever and exhaustion. Her hair stuck to her forehead, damp from sweat. Her face looked flushed in the dim light.
