The tires crunched on the snow as we pulled away from the estate.

I looked back through the rear window one last time.

The great brick house stood dark against the winter sky, a monument to a fallen kingdom.

The drive to the airport was silent.

No one spoke as the city lights flickered through the frosted windows.

The private jet was waiting, its engines whining in the freezing wind.

Sophia walked me to the steps of the plane.

“This is where I leave you,” she said, her coat collar pulled up against the cold.

“Where will you go?” I asked.

“Somewhere warm,” she said with a small smile.

“Take care of that baby, Elena.”

We hugged quickly, her leather jacket smelling of rain and expensive perfume.

I climbed the metal steps, and the cabin door sealed shut behind me.

The plane lifted off into the grey Chicago clouds, leaving the snow-covered streets below.

I slept for most of the flight, exhausted by the tension of the last few months.

When I woke, the sky outside was bright blue, and the ground below was green and gold.