-LILIAN-
Theodore's words lingered in the suddenly silent chamber, long after he had followed Alexander out. "How do you… survive his anger, let alone provoke it?" His voice, quiet as it was, carried the weight of centuries of observation. He didn't understand it, and neither did I. My heart still hammered against my ribs, an erratic drumbeat of defiance and fear. Alexander had smashed stone beside my head, yet I walked away, still breathing, still infuriatingly alive. It was a terrifying dance, one I was inexplicably forced to lead, even as he held all the power.
I pushed myself off the bed, the ache in my back a dull throb. The adrenaline from the argument had faded, leaving me with a profound weariness. I moved to the shattered wall where Alexander's hand had struck. Fine dust still
