them like an indifferent witness, casting cold light on the two

plastic was smooth against her palm, but the truth it held

rembled as she stepped closer to Seraphina, the shadow of her life unraveling

f neglect, the years of living with the orphanage's cruel embrace. "You think I believe that? You're stan

ed fiercely. "I just want answers, too. I didn't get any of the answers I wanted growing up. I didn't know where I

g. "Then why are you here? To

throat. "I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking you to help me

you? You want me to hel

ask for this life. I never wanted to live in a gilded cage while someone else rott

strange feeling began to stir beneath her anger. Maybe it was empathy. Maybe it was some

he truth? Why did I have to live like that while you were living her

e life in a world where everything was decided for me. Where I never got to choose. Do you thin

n between disbelief and the glimmer of something she hadn't expected to feel-doubt. For so long, sh

ractured in her own way. And Seraphina, for the first time, won

from the direction of the house. The sound

eath, but it was too late. The figures emerged from the darkness, two

had climbed just moments ago. But before she could move, Celest

ispered urgently.

d, her voice harsh. "

yes were wide, filled with something Seraphina couldn't place. Fe

ee, glaring at Celestine. "

turned to face the guards, her voice rising with a

ly for a moment before one of them responded, "We were just

elestine snapped, voice

onger before nodding and retr

owed was suffocating.

aphina said slowly, her

fully now. "You're not the on

f something fragile. Trust? Unlikely. But there was no denying the strange p

re going to find out the truth, we need to start

here but something raw-desperation. She didn't know what to make of it, or if she was r

voice still low, but now filled wit

k open the past. And we expose e