The hallway leading me to the hall was long, silent, flanked by magical torches whose fires danced in a language I didn't understand, casting golden shadows on the black stone walls. With each step, I felt like I was walking toward a judgment, not a conversation. The dress hugged my legs and forced my hips to move with a cadence that seemed obscene to me. I felt as if I were walking naked, as if the mark on my neck shone brighter than any jewel.
Then I saw my brother. Damian was there, standing in the middle of the hallway next to Luna. She held his hand tenderly, but her eyes were fixed on me. Intense. Dark. Hurt. When her gaze lowered to my neck and stopped. His jaw hardened like stone.
"Eliza," his voice was hoarse, broken. "Did he force you?"
