"I'll get mine." I strode away quickly, eager to escape the tension that permeated the room.
In my study, I yanked open the bottom drawer of my desk where I'd kept the letter for years. I'd read it so many times the creases had started to wear thin, the corners frayed. Every hurtful word had been memorized, burned into my mind like a brand. The evidence of Seraphina's cruelty that justified my own.
My hand trembled slightly as I took out the worn envelope. After all these years, it still had the power to cut me.
When I returned to the main room, Kaelen was already there, his own envelope clutched in his hand, knuckles white with tension. Seraphina stood by the window, arms wrapped around herself, staring out at the forest beyond.
"I have mine," I said, my voice sounding strange to my ears.
She turned to face me, her blue eyes searching mine for a moment before she held out her hand. "May I?"
