SERAPHINA’S POV
At first, when Mother’s face filled the screen, all I could do was stare at her.
At the familiar curve of her cheekbones, the loose braid over one shoulder, the faint lines at the corners of her eyes that had deepened over the years.
She looked…tired. Not the pleasant, sun-warmed tiredness one would associate with the Maldives, but something tighter. More apprehensive.
“Hello, Mother,” I greeted.
I had no idea why I was nervous, but my palms were sweating so hard I had to grip the phone tighter to keep it from slipping out of my grasp.
Her lips twitched into a barely there smile that somehow made her look even more strained.
“Seraphina, hello.”
Then her gaze shifted to Kieran behind me.
Some of the tension in her expression eased.
“Good,” she said, relief threading through her voice. “You’re with Kieran.”
I frowned, feeling a pang of curiosity at the subtle change, wondering what about Kieran's presence softened her so quickly.
