last splinters of the wood

, like a distant ach

ansing his space, his mind

pearance was a

Seraphina now,

ould have been Elara'

d, a fleeting, u

ure. Not for Elara,

l, simple meal prepa

prayer for th

h him when he mad

ncerned. "You' re so kind to think of her, even n

s arm. He nodded, acc

s an excuse for his continued

fading, still lingered,

r birthday brough

but of her mo

thday. Elara had fou

lopsided tart for hersel

secret ce

a moment, to feel l

ted the orphanage that

with the messy

ace twisted

nor had hissed. "You think

tart and smashed

reminder of sin. Birthdays

slapped Elara har

it all came back to

n just as Eleanor raised her

, his voice calm but f

her hand, her ex

n had not been for El

out the decorum of

ke this wa

lara then, a brief

just a quiet instruct

t felt a profo

murderer, Silas Bl

sent her to her death and

her hat

he point o

rit whispered to the empty

study, felt a

fleeting concern for..

ara, briefly. Su

blame. Seraphina' s i

rb, though risky, had be

ere pure, even if the out

not his

irit overheard two groundske

Ozarks," one said. "Girl. Tor

o one knows who she is. Just lyi

s spiri

Mutilated.

confirmation o

w fainter, alm