It was supposed to be a peaceful life.
Just blend in.
Stay hidden.
No one had expected that the arrival of one boy—just one human boy—would shake everything.
Seraphina sat on the edge of her bed, the sheets still wrapped around her, but her mind was far away now.
Her fingers lightly touched the glowing crest on her lower belly, the mark pulsing softly.
She closed her eyes.
And remembered.
It was a rainy evening when he first came.
She remembered it clearly because it was the first time she'd seen her mother—Lilith Nocturne—look… unsure.
He stood in the doorway, clutching a small bag. He was quiet, his shoulders tense, eyes wary.
He was just a kid who'd been through more than he should have. Lost parents. No relatives. Sent to the orphanage.
