Sera’s POV:
Morning came softly, the way it always did in this part of the mansion. Light filtered through the tall curtains in pale ribbons, touching the edges of the room like it was afraid to wake me too roughly. For a moment, I lay still, staring at the ceiling, pretending that if I didn’t move, nothing from last night would move either.
My chest tightened.
I sat up slowly, the sheets sliding off my shoulders. My body felt heavy, like I hadn’t slept at all. Maybe I hadn’t. Maybe I’d just closed my eyes and replayed everything over and over until the sun rose.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. The floor was cool beneath my feet, grounding in a way my thoughts weren’t.
Paint, I thought… I need to paint.
That had always been the answer. Whenever my head got too lo
