Nyra kept telling herself—over and over—that she didn’t care who Kael spent his time with. She told herself it didn’t matter if Celeste hovered at his side, always present and always shining that coy little smile. Whatever was between those two belonged to a different world. One she’d been shut out of a long time ago. She’d repeat it inside her head as many times as she had to. If she said it enough, maybe she’d start to believe it.
The estate was quiet and heavy that night. The air pressed in, making every window glow just a bit too brightly, each one hiding a secret it couldn’t quite keep to itself. Nyra stood at the upstairs railing. The marble felt cold and solid under her fingertips. She stayed there, watching the scene below like someone peering into a story where she was just a bac
