I reached for something—wall, railing, anything—but found only air.
And then I fell.
Metal pressed against my back. Air whooshed out of me. The hall echoed with the thud. The last thing I heard before darkness swallowed me was Elias’s tiny, trembling voice.
“You deserved it,” he whispered. “Bad!”
The words cut deeper than the fall.
When I came to, the room was dim, heavy, muffled—like I was surfacing from a nightmare.
But it wasn’t over.
Someone was beside me. I tried to speak, but my throat tightened. Then I felt it—hands pressing against my neck.
Seraphine.
Her face loomed above me, twisted with rage. “You should’ve stayed down,” she hissed, grip tightening. “You can’t keep ruining everything. Adrian and I deserve to be happy!”
I gasped, fighting her hands. “Seraphine—stop—”
She pressed harder, nails biting. “If you won’t leave,” she whispered, low and trembling, “then I’ll make you leave. For good.”
Panic surged. I kicked, clawed, struggled with every ounce of strength left. Spots flashed before my eyes.
And then—
“Hey!”
The door burst open.