Emily
I’ve seen death, lived, and been forced to breathe it. As much as one would think I’m used to it by now, I’m not. It’s been a week since everything at Marek’s stronghold, and every second I’m forced to sit squirreled away at Serena’s pretending that everything is okay, only makes the nightmare I’ve lived through more real.
Everyone thought burying Raya was the right thing to do. But somehow, no matter how hard they tried to convince me, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I just couldn’t let them put her underground. It felt too much like giving up hope. Or maybe it would make losing her feel too real. Too final.
And this isn’t over yet.
Taking a deep breath, I push open the doors of the den. The dim light of the setting sun casts a glow around the room. At the center of it all, bathed in the golden light, stands a long mahogany casket. The lid is off, and Raya lays perfectly still among the padded silk.