phin

ral. "Congratulations," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. It was the voice o

"Ah, Seraphina," one of them said, clapping Dante on the back. "We'll miss

y a word. That silence was louder than any insult. In his silence, I understood. He had tolerated my existence for Le

r by a large window overlooking the c

her voice a soft lie. "But you have to understand. Dante was tired of

range sense of detachment. It was like watchin

e metal fixture on the ceiling, a symbol of Mancini power, was swaying

re, flared to life. He moved with that same speed I remembered fr

ody as he dragged her out of the danger zone. He didn't even glance in my d

metal and shattering glass. A searing pain shot through m

rything w

air smelled of antiseptic. Leo was

never heard from him before. "He just... left you there

e had made his choice. He chose Isabella. He chose power. The knowle

a choice. It was a necessi