Seraphina's POV
The silence of my cell was deafening. Hours had passed since Valerius left, and I'd spent them staring at the tiny sliver of night sky visible through the high window. Stars winked at me, distant and cold. Like hope.
Footsteps approached, and my heart leaped. Had Cora come with my bracelet? The door creaked open, and my momentary hope shattered.
It was Valerius again.
"Come to check if I've made peace with my fate?" I asked bitterly.
He stepped inside, his face half-hidden in shadow. "I came to tell you something."
"What more could you possibly have to say?" I pushed myself up from the floor, ignoring the ache in my limbs.
"Tomorrow, before the execution," he said quietly, "I'll tell you everything about your mother."
I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "So generous of you. One last story before you chop my head off."
His jaw tightened. "You deserve to know the truth."
