Cordelia was at her apartment, her hands wrapped around a chipped mug of tea she hadn’t touched in the last hour. The steam had long since faded, leaving the liquid cold, but she held onto it like an anchor. Anything to stop her mind from drifting back to Reid’s threats, to Max’s absence, to Ash’s steady presence outside her door just nights ago.
Her phone vibrated across the counter.
Cordelia glanced at the screen, expecting maybe one of her colleagues from the hospital. But when she saw Violet’s name, her stomach dropped.
She hesitated, fingers trembling as she swiped to answer. “Violet?”
On the other end, Violet’s voice was solemn, stripped of its usual teasing warmth. “Cordelia, sweetheart… don’t panic, but I need you to listen to me.”
Cordelia’s breath caught. “What happened?”
“
