the storm before the scream cla

ing her skin seared itself

en, letting the rain hammer against me, hoping it

our first n

my body as if it w

at another a

a flickered and died, and until my shivering

ants' quarters, I collapse

it me; it crushed me li

urn

lucin

ium, Dante's deep voice

s rea

rabbit ran all

one he had promised to

bs to the door, cracki

side Sofia's room, reading to the closed

nd his gaze

g my forehead, the glassy, f

tance, placing a h

sional, and utterly

he stated, hi

no comfort.

ulled a key f

tine you," he sai

the heir gett

ed my d

the lo

d of a coffin l

throat too raw and swo

anymore. I was a

led int

e staff to stop

trays were a "ve

he bathroom sink, fading in an

alls, the sounds o

ght

nking of silverw

w, bracing against the sill t

ving a candl

l. Risotto with

was sm

oked

ed... c

voices carrying clearly

," Sofia said, idly twirlin

e pa

window, though I knew he cou

," he

stopped

u

he name we

etween sheets, dreaming of a boy wi

d, testing the weight of it on her

the table, covering

idn't p

zed her

toasted, lif

rling into a tight, trem

ust stolen

ust stolen

our dreams and gifted it, wrapped in

was nothing compared to the vas

and whispered i

bye,

irst time, I