"She's unfit for her role, you know," the maid whispered, her voice sharp as broken glass. As they gossip about serafina.
Serafina froze behind the corner, her fists tightening until her nails carved red moons into her palms.
"Mad," another murmured. "Dangerous."
Their words swirled through the stone halls like smoke, curling around her throat, choking her.
She should step forward.
She should slap the girl so hard her descendants would feel it.
Her body trembled with the urge, raw, hot, violent, but she didn't move.
Not because she couldn't.
Because they weren't worth it.
Serafina turned on her heel, her boots clicking sharply on the marble. She didn't look back, didn't let them see the wildfire rising in her chest. She marched past them like they were less tha
