His Second Life, Their Last Mistake

as an exercise in

while Seraphina and Julian lorded over their guests, occasio

wine for Mr

tes. And try not to dro

d was a

na, flushed with wine and triu

er all those little gifts Ethan gave me? The silly poems,

could I forget? So

ina declared. "A cleansing

y. A box was brought out, filled with my youthful to

ommanded, handing me a sheaf of

re pieces of my soul, naiv

rled, shoving me cl

hina. Her face wa

e fire. They curled, blackened, then

pent weeks making for her sixteenth birthday. She'

said, her voice

sita

and tossed it onto the pyre.

che in my chest. Promises, li

than," Seraph

s, my affections, were

sighed, a theatrical sound of sa

you behave, if you truly accept your place, perhaps... perhaps I'

ckery, another way

, a piercing scream e

fi, had somehow gotten its leg caught in a garden trap, li

acted. I raced out, Seraph

its leg twisted at

lm the terrified anim

roared, shoving me away. He fumbled with

c. "Julian, be caref

dog. My instinctive move to help

these kinds of traps. I managed to release t

ering, trie

ing the small animal. "Her leg

contorted with rage. "You probably set the t

"I just want her to be okay. And then, Seraphina, please, let me go

her expression unreadabl

y dog," sh

ina cooed over the animal,

gain with me, Ethan? A

abbed a heavy stone paperweig

era!" he yelled. "He need

n dog, Buster, my loyal rescue mutt who had followed me out, drawn

kening thud, a

l, silent

ry tore from my th

uick. He sidestepped, and the guards

attacked me! After he killed his own

face a mask of cold indifference. "Take him to the stable

away, my horrified pro

post. Julian supervised, his eye

. Methodical

ision blurred. Pain w

from the main house. "Julian, darling, Fifi' s whimpering s

tortured. And her only concer

a new

, brought out a heated branding iron, th

of who you belong to,

et my skin was indescribable. I

down, I collapsed, a brok

. Fifi' s leg... it might need a pin. A small bone graft would

. "The doctor will be here in the

its edge glinting in the dim light. "Don't worry. I'll be very caref

was beyond cruelty.

nd broken, the smell of burn

against the distant lights of the house. She w

n' t lo

r voice soft. She tossed a small jar of ointmen

with a s

ked away, her footsteps

ken gesture, meaningless in the

er me. Buster was gone. My body was a canvas of t

escape. Onl