"I need some space," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the rustling leaves as we walked through the forest. Every step took me further from the castle, from the ball, from Beatrice and her threats – but I couldn't outrun the storm raging inside me.
"Seraphina, wait," Ronan called, his voice echoing behind me. "You shouldn't be alone right now."
I kept walking, my feet carrying me forward almost of their own volition. The forest grew denser, wilder, the path less defined with each step.
"I just need to think. I need to breathe," I called back without turning.
Regina's steady footfalls followed close behind. "Then think and breathe, but we're not leaving you alone."
Their loyalty touched me, but right now it felt suffocating. How could I explain that the monster lurking beneath my skin needed solitude? That the darkness coiling inside me threatened to spill out if pressed too hard?
"Do you even know where we're going?" Regina asked as we pushed through thicker underbrush.
