en's

ut to bring Gideon in. The heavy doors slammed

a statue, but like a small, trapped, beautiful

es locked onto mine. "Why

und calm even though my blood was boil

r of fear ran down her

broken," I said, staring at her. "

rs starting to gather. "This is cra

umbled back until s

er voice was a terrified

I told her, my voice low and

her eyes hit me, but I

man was barely breathing, his shirt was soaked with blood. He lo

abbed her wrist, stopping her s

go to him,"

way and dropped to the f

me," she cried, desperately tryin

aching slightly. "S... Sera.

o did this to you?

flash of pure, cold terror. Goo

ze. "Look at me." He started shaking, hi

minded him. "You made

nd a trickle of bloo

. "Dad, what promise? W

is eyes shut, unab

cracked with pain. "

corrected, my tone hard. "You ju

zing with fury through her tears.

d right b

"Y

slowly, trying to push the horrifying word a

g. Dad. Please, tell

as a grown man, and he was

. Princess...

hysically slapped her. Her voice came

o that? How could

ach for her, but

id quickly. "He n

d. "Two guards with him

Sera scrambled to follow,

hissed, her

." I

gain, and then a third t

e screamed,

urt her, but to keep her standin

will

on't kno

"that I did not do this. And som

e pain of betrayal swirled in her eyes. "I ju

u are

r voice broke with a sob

nly place you

like I was a monster and a diffi

you," Luca call

ts. They fell to her s

I told her. "He'll

"N

Ser

ile act of defiance. "Tell me what you want. Why

I loved the sound of your voice.. Because you trusted me... Because y

't say those

wly, carefully, "because som

e. "Using

ook like a weaknes

trol o

ything

thing hard. "Boss the cameras. Som

. "What... what

right int

ne who works for

oat bobbing. A sharp, terrible new fear replace

, making sure she couldn't

bt, Sera," I said quiet

shiv

ppens now?" s

mb touch her j

oice a solemn vow, "I fin

she whispere

ht here, where

king, desperate. "Why do y

... Because no one will ever touch

the words

face grave. "Boss. Gide

ward. "Is he okay

slowly. "His exact words were...

ipped from her chest. "Wha

years of waiting, of silence,

avy and final, "your father just c

streaming down her face. "No

I d

ce like a wave. Close enough that she knew her world was cha

my voice a low, unbreaka

e to make a sound. The truth hit her like a cannonball and I l