I reached in and offered my hand to Lily.

She took it, her small fingers wrapping around my palm.

We walked into the warm foyer, the smell of cedar and polished wood welcoming us.

I led Lily up the stairs to the guest wing, where two adjoining bedrooms had been prepared.

“This is yours,” I said, opening the door to a room with a large bed and a window overlooking the dark forest.

She walked in, looking at the soft blankets and the small wooden desk.

“Thank you, Ryker,” she said.

“Get some rest,” I said. “We will talk in the morning.”

I closed her door gently and walked down the hall to my study.

The fire in the hearth had died down to embers, casting a faint red glow across the room.

I walked over to the desk, where a single lamp illuminated a stack of papers.

The guardianship documents were waiting for my signature.

I sat down in the leather chair, the leather groaning under my weight.

I picked up the heavy fountain pen.

My phone vibrated on the desk.