Avery was woken by Dorothea's small hand patting her face.
"Mommy, the sun's already up. Way up."
She snapped her eyes open and glanced at the clock.
11:40.
She had slept for nearly twelve hours.
Dorothea was already dressed, her rabbit tucked under one arm and an unwrapped strawberry candy clutched in her fist.
"Mrs. Cooper said if you don't get up soon, I'm going to eat all the cake myself."
Avery touched her daughter's hair. Her throat was so dry she could barely push the words out. "...I'm up."
She washed up as fast as she could. She put on a turtleneck, the collar snug against her throat, hiding the red marks left from yesterday's struggle in the ruins.
The moment she sat down at the table, Mrs. Cooper told her that Dominic had locked himself in the study since early morning.
