SERAPHINA I wake to Azriel bouncing on my bed, already dressed and vibrating with excitement. "Mama! Is it time yet? Can we go see Papa's army?" I groan and pull the pillow over my face. It's barely dawn, and my son is ready to spend the entire day with Kieran. A day I suspect has more to do with keeping me away from Cassius than any genuine tour. “Which might not be a bad thing if you think about it,” she mutters, stretching lazily in the back of my mind. I roll my eyes. “Sometimes you forget what he did to us.” She doesn’t reply, settling back like she’s relieved to avoid the conversation. I throw off the covers and ruffle Azriel's hair. "Give me a few minutes to get ready, sweetheart." "But we're going to miss it!" He bounces harder. "Papa said we're leaving early!" "We won't

