Kael was slipping away, and it hit Celeste harder than any knife ever could.
She stood in the darkness of her bedroom, eyes glued to the massive windows overlooking the kingdom at rest. The lights outside should have been breathtaking—so many they looked like stars spilled down the mountains—but she barely noticed them. All she saw was one memory, looping in her mind and refusing to fade.
Nyra.
Always Nyra.
Every little moment replayed itself, cruel and unending.
Kael gazing at Nyra. Kael stepping in to shield Nyra. Kael’s hand brushing hers. Kael beside her, shutting the rest of the world out.
Every fragment of that poisoned Celeste inside.
Her grip tightened around the crystal goblet. It snapped, the shattering sound echoing through her chamber. Blood pooled in her palm as glass s
