Ex-Alpha's Regret: Siren's Comeback novel Chapter 43

POV: Seraphina

The air at the dinner table was thick enough to choke on. It was a command performance, and I was the lead actress in a tragedy. Damian sat at the head of the table, a magnanimous king presiding over his court, a court that consisted of his triumphant consort, his adoring son, and his broken wife. He was attempting a reconciliation, or what passed for one in his mind. It was a display of control, a final smoothing of the waters before, he assumed, my quiet submission would be complete. He even made Nico apologize.

"I'm sorry I was rude, Mother," my son mumbled into his plate, the words recited by rote, devoid of all meaning.

I merely inclined my head, my eyes hollow. I didn't have the energy for this charade. Every fiber of my being was thrumming with a single thought: escape. My mind was far away, in the dark sky with my brother, counting down the minutes until he arrived. I just had to survive a few more hours.

Then, Sylvie entered from the kitchen. She moved with a practiced, gliding grace, a small silver tray in her hands. Her face was a perfect mask of profound, sisterly concern.

"I know today has been difficult for you, Seraphina," she said, her voice a soft, sympathetic murmur that grated on my raw nerves. She placed a single, steaming porcelain bowl in front of me. "I had the cook prepare this for you. A special tonic, to help you regain your strength. Please. As a gesture of peace."

I raised the spoon to my lips. The broth was warm, savory. It tasted of herbs and chicken, and a faint, bitter aftertaste I couldn't quite place. I ate every last drop, my movements slow and deliberate, my eyes never leaving hers, a silent act of defiance in my forced submission.

I set the spoon down with a soft, final click.

The first cramp hit me before I even reached my room. It wasn't like the anxious fluttering I'd felt before. This was a sharp, vicious twist, a chemical fire igniting deep within me. It was a brutal, unnatural clenching that stole my breath and sent me staggering against the wall.