Rowan
I didn't seek Seraphina out. Partly because I was exhausted. Partly because the attacks along the border demanded most of my attention. But mostly because I already understood why she had done it. I didn't approve.
Not even close. But understanding and approval weren't the same thing. She had spent six years standing beside me. Six years carrying the responsibilities of Luna without complaint. Six years watching other women raise children while she smiled through gatherings and ceremonies, as if the absence didn't hurt.
Maybe she had crossed a line. But I couldn't bring myself to treat her like an enemy. Not after everything. Not after all the years she'd given to Blackridge. The school incident should have made me furious. Instead, it left me tired.
Because beneath the manipula
