Salvatore spoke to Alben, who still insisted on having Milo for himself. "No, you won't get him. Stop talking about it. Why did you even come here tonight? I hope it's not more bad news."
Alben sighed, but then he grew serious, and they disappeared into the study.
Milo sat down, uneasy. He waited, but didn't want what he was waiting for. He just couldn't sleep.
Minutes passed, maybe more than half an hour, and the door creaked open again. It wasn't Salvatore or Alben. It was Teo, the boy Milo had met in the garden. He was carrying a stack of folded clothes and a tray with a bowl of soup and some bread.
"Milo! Roderick told me you came back!" Teo's face lit up with a genuine smile. He ran over to the bed and set the tray on the nightstand.
Milo managed a small, weak smile in return. "Yes. I don't know why, but I feel grateful to be here."
