Raziela
The silence inside the car was heavier than any scream I’d heard back in that auction house. Not even the hum of the engine dared to interrupt it. It was just stillness, and it sent shivers down my spine.
Enid sat curled in my lap, fast asleep, her small hand still tangled tightly in the fabric of my ruined dress. Her cheek was pressed to my collarbone, her face red and puffy from all the crying. I rocked her into sleep through the jostling ride, humming softly even though my voice was barely above a whisper, even though my own throat felt like it had been scraped raw.
Every second felt borrowed. Every moment that passed without someone screaming orders or trying to drag us apart made my stomach twist tighter. This couldn’t last. Something always happened. It always did, and no
