Lyra
My ears rang. It wasn't just my face that stung. My chest, my heart. They stung too. My mother’s palm had done more than break skin, it had shattered the last thread I had left tying her to me.
Warm blood trickled from my nose. The taste of it filling my mouth as I tried to breathe.
“You slapped me,” I whispered.
My hand went to my throbbing face. I didn’t know whether I was shaking from the pain or the storm growing inside my chest.
“And I will do it again. If your father raised you to be so disrespectful it’s time I changed that.”
I let the tears fall.
“I can’t believe she said those things to you, Ma. Are you okay?”
Across from me, Evelyn rushed to my mother, faking concern.
“I am. She’s such a disrespectful child. I hoped Stone would do a good job with her. I can see h
