SERAPHINA'S POV
I knew I had to do something.
My chair scraped harshly against the marble floor as I pushed back too quickly, the sound slicing through the dining hall and drawing several curious glances toward me.
Pain throbbed violently through my injured arm beneath the bandages, each heartbeat making it worse, but that pain barely mattered anymore.
Nicholas was suspicious. I could feel it. In every glance he gave me. In the way his silver eyes lingered too long whenever I spoke, calm and unreadable, as though he were silently peeling apart every lie I had carefully built around myself.
"Are you done eating?" Elena asked softly, tilting her head with concern written across her face.
I forced a weak smile even though my throat had gone dry. "Yes… I need to return to my room for a bit."
Nicholas didn't say anything.
