a jarring splash of color against the gray walls. She was waiting for the public defender the state h

Ethan

n, both exuding an aura of sharp intelligence and

ng on the table, a hot wave of shame washing ov

rated by a thick pane of plexiglass. He picked

a low, furious tremor of pain. "Why, Sera? Why

t your problem, Ethan," she said

osure finally breaking. "Fight for yourself for once in your life! Do you think this is what Isabelle would want? Do

he had built around herself. He was right. Her surrender

fell, tracking clean paths down her grimy cheeks. "What am I suppos

me," he said. "Sera, you don't have to tell me what happened. But te

l to live-ignited within her. She looked at him, at the unw

, her voice still shaky. "But I will re

ve of relief washed

now-retracted confession from a victim of domestic abuse, and a stolen diary taken out of context. Most importantly

he District Attorney's office declined to p

ks clicked open. Seraphin

n the unexpectedly bright sunlight, the first person she

d draped it over her thin shoulders. "Come

him. "Thank you. The legal

'll hold you to it. When you're a bi

ws, she knew what she had to do next. "I ne

a, why? There's not

him keep it. I can't let him hold that part of me forever." It was more than a book. It wa

ritual of exorcism. "Okay," he

the familiar gates of the estate, Seraphina's st

as h

and covered her hand with his. "It's okay," he said, his voic

e car. Together, they walked toward the