Chapter 32

• Amaris’ POV
• I knew this moment would come eventually. I’d always known I couldn’t outrun my nightmares forever. I just hoped that when they finally caught up to me, they’d come gently like stepping into an icy lake, inch by inch, lungs filled with calm, steady breaths until the cold became bearable. Instead, it felt like I’d been shoved headfirst into a frozen sea, limbs flailing, lungs burning as I struggled to keep myself from drowning.
• Twila had left me no choice. Her ultimatum made it clear I had to tell Theron everything. The full truth. But the very thought chilled me to the bone. He hadn’t believed me before. Why would he believe me now, when the rumors were louder than anything I could say?