The words didn't sink in at first. Katia stared at Dalia, at the real grief in her eyes, and felt something cold drop into her stomach.
"What happened?" Katia asked, her voice sounding far away.
"When the rogues attacked," Dalia said through her tears, "Rose was in the second car, the one that got hit worst. She was killed."
"They put the bodies in the back courtyard," Dalia said quietly, wiping her eyes. "For identification and... and last rites."
Katia nodded without thinking, already turning toward the door.
Rose is dead.
The words kept repeating in her head, but they felt far away, not real. Like everything was muffled.
I promised her. I promised I would keep her safe.
Dalia's voice called after her. "Miss Katia, where are you..."
"I need to see her," Katia
