Seraphina's Point Of View
The words hadn't even fully left her mouth before they settled in my chest like something heavy....something that refused to move, anchoring itself deep beneath my ribs.
"Don't deny yourself the chance to get better, Ms. Vale."
I froze with my hand still on the door handle, my entire body suddenly rigid. The metal felt colder than before, biting into my palm. Or maybe it was me, maybe I was the one growing colder, retreating inward where it felt safer.
My fingers tightened slightly, knuckles going pale as I stared at the door in front of me like it had suddenly become the only thing holding me upright. The grain of the wood blurred. I couldn't tell if it was from the fluorescent lighting or something else entirely.
Behind me, her voice softened again, pulling me back from wherever I'd started to drift.
