(Nicholas)
I watched Seraphina walk away with her guards, their presence cold compared to her warmth. She didn't seem like someone who had guards around her all the time.
She seemed… genuine. That was the word I kept coming back to as I replayed our conversation in my head. Her smile, the way she looked at me—not with judgment or fear, but like I was just another person—stuck with me. It wasn't something I was used to, especially not after everything that had happened in Rivendale.
As I turned back toward the stalls, I found myself smiling. It had been a long time since I'd felt anything like that. Peace. Maybe even hope.
The weight I'd carried for so long didn't feel quite as heavy at that moment. I couldn't say why, but Seraphina had something about her. Something that made me feel like maybe I wasn't beyond saving.
