Chapter 17

Hannah's POV

With all of Annabeth's stuff packed up into boxes and ready to be carried off and stashed somewhere out of sight, I stood in the now-cleared room. The brief sense of fulfillment I had was swiftly succeeded by the empty sting of realizing that Landen's heart remained bound to the past in spite of my best attempts.

In an attempt to center myself, I inhaled deeply. The sun was nearly sinking, creating lengthy shadows on the floor as it streamed through the windows. It was almost nightfall.

The maids had just completed cleaning, and their tense looks at me reminded me of the stress that had been in the home ever since Landen lost his cool.

The door to the room opened as I was ready to go, and Landen stepped in. His expression was unreadable, a mixture of determination and something else I couldn't quite place. I straightened, preparing myself for another confrontation.

"Hannah," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. "We need to talk."

I crossed my arms, my eyes narrowing slig