afi

him like the pr

r eyes wide and overwhelmed by the opulence of the estate. They asked about the baby. They asked about L

n't ask

al time. A reality where the son who'd faked his own death was a hero who'd made a diffic

around the grand hall

's Ser

d like a stone

s stopped

kneels there every year on the anniversary." A dismissive eye roll. "This year she

racticed. She'd been telling v

ce draine

You force her to kneel at my

debt," my

ed me because she wanted birthday cake, and yo

ngers and shattered. Wine pooled acro

s from the counter and

ss and my father check his phone. Neither of them looked worried. They

them. Your daughter is dead, and

d. Luca stood in the entr

ausoleum. Her dorm. Aria's apartment. Every hospital in

arm towels. "She's just hiding

g into a chair. He buried his face in his han

t beside him, stroking his ha

ed his hand against her belly. "We'

e carrying the old authority. "When she returns,

ertain I was hiding. Certain I'd come crawling bac

corpse of his daughter was waiting for him o

e'd walk back dow

e'd start the cla

s, everything

e, watching, unable to do

-