The following morning, Emerald woke feeling like her skin didn't quite fit.
Sleep had found her, but it had been shallow, filled with strange dreams of locked doors, suffocating walls, and the echo of fire crackling just outside her reach.
But it wasn't the dreams that haunted her most; it was Talia's words.
"If you're smart… you'll leave too."
Was she right?
Emerald sat on the edge of the bed, fingers curled tight around the soft fabric of her leggings. Every part of her wanted to deny it. Wanted to believe Lucien wasn't capable of everything she'd been told. That there was another side. That maybe, just maybe, there had been some noble reason behind it all.
But that voice was quieter now.
Because someone had tried to kill her… twice, and Lucien had done nothing. Even worse, he'd watched it happen. Then, he lied when she asked what was going on.
And now she had a decision to make.
"Enough," she muttered.
