the world outside into streaks of grey. Seraphina sat near the back, her hood up, fingers cl

A

se letters until they

ine Av

h her instincts refused to deny: she had been switched. Replaced. Discarded like a bro

nough power to

didn't

omple

ell e

leaner. The buildings taller, glassier. No crumbling bricks, no rusted fences, no p

never belonged

was he

t plan on lea

ll bookstore awning. The mansion loomed behind the iron gates, ivy crawling up stone columns, wi

ced at th

sors lined

ed with somethin

even know t

stolen someth

ryt

had given it t

-

erfectly dressed in a cream silk blouse and pearls. A private tutor rec

n't lis

d was e

m the night before-those eyes, t

dream, she tol

yb

no baby photos of another child. No stories, no slip-ups, not

you alright?"

. "Just a

ay, leaving the man c

o see Dr.

ways too involved. Who never looked her

-

moved th

et, the guards thinning

ke she'd done it a hund

d. Fury guidi

s locked on the glowing window above-the one that had to be Celestine's room. S

ended at

idn't wait

rang throug

supposed t

hina

n one hand, a phone in the other. She looked lik

eyes

ir cr

ment, neither

to a mirror warped by

ne's voice waver

the shadows. "The girl who

's face w

did yo

to her coat and pull

up like

ame hospital. And somehow, I ended up in a

elestine whispered,

ped closer. "Look at me. Look at my f

tine

coul

e it w

t never felt quite right-it all

e whispered. "I swe

"Of course you didn't. You w

ng heavy b

" Celestine asked, almo

at first. Her hand tremb

ed to sc

to burn i

want answers. I want to kn

rs gathering in her eyes. "T

two strangers boun

rn of the

around them, Seraphina

asn't

the beg