I turned slowly, letting my gaze fall on her—Cecilia. No… not me. The real Cecilia.
She stood there, her posture calm, composed, but her eyes... God, her eyes were something else entirely. Unreadable, yes, but now that I was really looking—really paying attention—I could see it. That faint shimmer around her edges, the almost imperceptible flicker, like she was an ember barely holding onto its last breath of warmth, ready to be snuffed out by the faintest breeze.
Her shoulders lifted slightly, then fell, as though even breathing had become a resigned effort.
"It's true," she murmured, voice so soft I barely caught it. "The price of what I did—the price of breaking the laws of this world—is me."
Something twisted deep in my stomach.
I swallowed hard."So… you knew?" My voice came out quieter than I intended, almost hesitant, like part of me didn't want the answer.
Her lips curled at the corners—just a little. A small, sad smile that didn't reach her eyes."Of course I did."
