Chapter 68

I heard his footsteps fade as he headed downstairs. The house was quiet, and for a moment, I just wanted to sink into the softness of the bed. After everything I’d been through, I felt like I had earned a thousand years of rest.

I drifted off. I don’t know how long I slept, but when I opened my eyes again, the world outside my window was swallowed by darkness. Night had fallen.

I knew I had to get up. Nathan was probably waiting for me, and I didn't want to keep him in the shadows any longer. I stood up, my legs feeling strangely light, and walked toward the bathroom.

I forced myself toward the mirror. I needed to see the damage. I expected to see a ghost—a girl broken, pale.

But the girl in the mirror looked... too alive.

My cheeks were flushed with a deep, healthy pink. My skin was smooth, almost glowing, as if I’d been lit from within by a strange, golden fire. My eyes were too bright, too wide, and shimmering with a life that