Page 186 of Seeking Shadows

She has always been unshakable. Cold. Meticulous. Seeing her like this is strange. Almost terrifying.

"I didn’t think I’d be able to get you out in time," she confesses, her voice breaking. "I was scared. Really scared."

My eyes burn. I don’t know how to process this.

My own pain, I can handle. But hers?

That’s unbearable.

I drop my teddy bear and wrap my arms around her without thinking. She stiffens for a second, caught off guard—but then she clings to me, her grip desperate. Like she’s making sure I’m real.

"I’m here," I whisper. "You did it."

She nods against my shoulder, trying to compose herself, but I feel the heat of her tears against my skin.

Time passes in quiet breaths and steady heartbeats.

Eventually, Laura clears her throat and pulls away, wiping her face with an irritated gesture, as if she hates herself for giving in.

I don’t say anything. I just smile.

"And Seth?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

She sighs and rests a hand on my head, ruffling my hair lightly.

"He’s fine. And you’ll see each other soon."

I close my eyes for a moment, warmth spreading through me. But it’s not enough to ease the ache completely.

"I miss him."

"You need to be strong," she reminds me. "Take a deep breath. You still have the hearing with the Society of Crow ahead of you."

I nod. I’m not afraid of them. I know they won’t hurt me.

This hearing is the least of my worries.

My gaze drifts back to the dahlias.

Resilience.

Maybe that’s what I need right now.

The atmosphere inthe room is tense despite the discreet luxury of the décor. The four women seated before me have different postures—some rigid, others more relaxed—but they share a single purpose: to judge my actions.

Giulia Ross looks exasperated, arms crossed, as if she’d rather be anywhere else. Liv,or LiviaSpencer is as impeccable as ever, her sharp gaze betraying a glint of amusement when our eyes meet. Andi Park maintains a calm composure, a few notes in hand, clearly prepared to present my “case.” And then there’s Alana Goodwin—impassive, unreadable.

Andi clears her throat, straightening her shoulders.

“Let’s get straight to the point.” She flips through her notes before leveling her gaze at me. “Mia, your presence here is due to the fact that, under Nico Riviera’s influence, you tortured and killed members of the Society of Crow. Since this crime concerns our organization, it falls upon us, as the wives of high-ranking members, to determine whether this matter warrants a formal trial or if it can be settled internally.”

Okay. That sounds horrifying when said out loud.

“To be fair, you make it sound like I was enjoying it,” I say dryly.

Giulia sighs loudly. “And were you?”

“I don’t remember much. My brain has shut down most of what happened.”

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