Amelia woke up and stretched her pleasantly sore muscles. She grimaced slightly when she felt the slight sting on her neck. Last night had been so intense, so real. Byron had even nipped her lip in their desperate kisses.

She looked to her side and didn’t find Byron in her bed, as usual, but that didn’t matter. Byron had said she loved her, and spent the night showing Amelia what was in her heart.

The strange events from last night started to return to her mind, and threatened to ruin her happiness. Flashes of Sera fighting with those men and women who attacked them made a knot of worry twist inside her. If she thought too hard at the almost inhuman strength and skill both Sera and Bhal had used, she would have to face truths about Byron and her family that would change everything Byron had shared with her last night.

Amelia closed her eyes and thought hard. She could go downstairs, find her lover, pretend like nothing out of the ordinary happened, and enjoy a loving, happy day, or she could demand answers to the questions she had asked Byron last night, and risk ruining everything. Their love, their happiness, their future.

Her heart gave her the answer. Let it go. If she wanted a future with Byron, she had to let it go.

Amelia had grown unaccustomed to sweeping thoughts and feelings under the carpet. But at home when she was growing up, she’d ignored the feeling that she was unwanted and unloved by her mum and dad, and most of all, she’d hidden her sexuality that was screaming at her to get out of the stifling religious home she was living in.

Let it go. She let the memory of Byron’s declaration of love drive out all her worries and concerns.

She got up and walked to the wardrobe to get her dressing gown, and found it half empty. Byron’s suits, shirts, and ties were gone. A feeling of dread crept upon her. Amelia ran to the chest of drawers, and yanked open the drawers. They were empty too.

“No, no.” Panic was starting to overtake her, and then she spotted it—a white envelope sitting on the writing desk. She rushed over and read the front: Miss Amelia Honey.

Amelia picked up the letter and started to open it, her hand shaking as she did. When Amelia pulled out the paper an airline ticket came tumbling out with it. She was so scared of what the letter would say, she had to force herself to read.

Amelia,

First of all you must believe that the time we have spent together has been the happiest of my life, but I have come to the decision that it is best for both of us to part ways. A relationship is incompatible with my way of life, and I could not give you what you need.