Sera Winters
Sometimes the gentlest touch breaks you wider than any violence ever could.
Three days.
I'd avoided him for three days.
Not obviously. I still came to meals. Still sat through the nightly gatherings. Still followed the rules. But I made sure I was never alone with him. Never gave him an opening to ask the question we both knew was coming.
When is my turn?
Caelan had claimed my surrender. Daxen had claimed my thoughts. And Kieran—I didn't know what Kieran would claim. But I knew it would break something in me the others hadn't touched yet.
So I avoided him. Stayed in my room when I could. Went to bed early. Left meals quickly.
But I couldn't avoid him forever.
I was in the garden behind the house when I hear
