Nica wakes in complete darkness in a cold sweat, remembering the night she escaped the village. The terror as her father grabbed and groped for her and the knowledge that her sister Zoe was left behind. The way her stomach dropped as she heard her sister scream as she left the home.
She should have gone back to help Zoe. Why didn't she do it? It would have been the most natural thing for her. She has always protected her and kept her safe above anything else. But when the Guardian was mentioned, Nica abandoned everything she believed in.
Walling towards the water basin, she casts her spell and allows the water to warm quietly. She needs to do something differently. She had been avoiding Caesar as she knew she deserved punishment. She had gone against his wishes to observe and brought Sera and her daughter home. In doing this, she forced Lily to embrace a life of service.
