Lumina entered her chambers like a storm contained in silk, the door closing behind her with a soft, final click that belied the fury raging inside. She stood in the center of the room for a long moment, breathing shallowly, fists clenched at her sides.
The image of Briella's lips on Ashen's refusal to fade. It looped in her head with each replay, twisting the knife deeper.
She ripped the blindfold off and let it fall to the floor. Tears came down her face as tracks that burned her cheeks.
She swiped them away with the back of her hand, refusing to let them linger.
Stella slipped inside without knocking, sensing the tempest before she saw it. One glance at Lumina's pale face, eyes blazing, mouth a tight line and she dropped to one knee.
"My lady…"
