Cassian came at midnight.
The door to my room opened without a sound. He slipped inside like a shadow and closed it quickly behind him. His face looked pale in the moonlight. His eyes carried guilt. I sat up in bed and watched him without speaking. For a long moment neither of us moved.
“Seraphina,” he whispered. His voice cracked. “Please. I need to talk to you.”
I stood slowly. My body still ached from the failed shift earlier that day. The dream with Kael still burned in my mind. Yet here stood the boy who once promised me forever. The one who chose Lyra without hesitation.
“Why are you here?” I asked. My tone stayed flat.
Cassian stepped closer. His hands trembled at his sides. “I can’t stop thinking about you. About what I did. About everything that happened. I was wrong. I hurt
