Two guards shifted, hands inching toward their weapons.
“No!” I blurted. “It’s fine. I’m… I’m okay, Jess.”
“Seph—”
I forced a bright smile, too sharp at the edges. “If the guys come here—I think the guards are watching them—tell them I’m safe. And okay. Please.”
Jess didn’t believe me. But she nodded anyway.
Gideon scowled, like the mere exchange offended him.
“Fine,” she muttered under her breath.
“Come along, Persephone.” Gideon turned toward the door. “I do not enjoy this room. There’s something about it…”
A warm presence flickered near my ear.
Echo.
I wished I could reach out and soothe her. She was terrified for me—I could feel it pulsing through the air like a second heartbeat.
Across from me, behind my father, a pen rose, pointed like a dagger. She aimed it for my father’s back.
I lifted my hand low, twisting so I stepped between it and him.
The pen struck me between the shoulder blades. I winced at the impact.
My father caught the sound with a scowl.
“What are you doing?” he growled.
“Just getting my coat,” I said, covering smoothly as I grabbed my jacket from the couch.
He didn’t even notice Echo.
Good.
Father straightened, and the guards moved at once, opening the door. I followed him out, head down, avoiding every pair of eyes on me.
I felt the stares anyway.
And I knew exactly what he was doing.
Parading me like property.
Making sure everyone saw whose I was — so they wouldn’t touch me.
Each step felt like walking toward a sentence already decided.
He finally stopped at a large office overlooking the flower garden behind the building. Sunlight streamed through an entire wall of windows, catching on the hulking mahogany desk in the centre.
Gideon stepped inside and leaned against the desk, his gaze dragging over me from head to toe.
I stayed where I was, arms folded tight over Ash’s sweatshirt like it was armour and I was already under attack.
“So,” he said.
“So,” I echoed.
