Chapter 21
Forgotten Attic
The meal ended in silence, heavy and brittle. The clink of plates against porcelain was the loudest sound in the room, each scrape echoing the tension lingering between us.
I stood to gather the dishes, my hands moving automatically, even as my mind stayed in that earlier confrontation, the warning, their refusal to see me.
Father rose from his chair, already halfway turned toward his study, when I found my voice.
"Father, may I ask for something?"
He paused. The room stilled again. His back straightened, and he slowly turned toward me, eyes unreadable.
"What is it?" he asked.
I drew a quiet breath. "I'd like to use the attic. The unused room. I need more space, and it's just sitting empty."
Before he could respond, Lilith scoffed a small, sharp sound with edges. Her laugh was cruel, echoing off the walls.
"How perfect. Dust, cobwebs, probably rats. I suppose that's where someone who lived in the countryside would feel most at home."
