As I stood still in the cellar, I noticed many people I never expected to see were incarcerated here. What took me off guard was seeing the same child I had seen at the Queen Mother’s estate, still frightened, slightly trembling, and severely malnourished, with no clothing suited for the winter chill. Across from where I was standing was another cell that held Alden, covered in heavy metal that pressed into his skin. Seeing him that way, I understood that this wasn’t just any metal—it was silver, the only material that could truly harm our kind.
After so many days of learning and months of understanding what this new life of mine entailed, I had come to realize that certain elements would hurt us instead of helping us. But as I took in my surroundings, I felt an uneasy sense that I wasn’t
