[Elderemere Hospital]
Outside Kyle's door.
Seraphina leaned against the cold hospital wall. Her arms crossed tight over her chest, shoulders slumped.
Kyle was awake.
Alive.
Okay.
The thought sank deep into her, and she let out a breath she didn't even realize she'd been holding.
It was long and slow, easing out the tension that had wrapped around her like chains. The fear. The helplessness. The anger.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
The image was still there. Burned behind her lids.
Kyle. His skin pale, body limp, blood soaking into the stone floor outside the Black Gate. Barely breathing.
She could still feel the moment she saw him like that. The sharp twist in her stomach. The way her legs almost gave out.
She should've stopped it. Should've seen something was wrong.
'If something had happened to him—'
Her nails dug into her arms. Hard. She forced herself to stop the thought before it finished.
But now…
