#Chapter 73 – Hand Delivered

Lila I had never paced so much in my life. Back and forth across my room, the same stretch of carpet worn slightly thinner with each pass. The window was open, letting in the cool afternoon breeze, but it didn’t help. My skin still burned, nerves riding just beneath the surface. The letter for Damon sat on the edge of my writing desk—creased from too many hands, too many hesitations. I hadn’t added to it, hadn’t changed a word. But I hadn’t let it go either. Ruby stirred constantly now, her voice a steady hum in the back of my skull. You know what’s right. You’ve known for days. I stopped mid-step, fists clenched at my sides. If I stayed silent, Asher would keep pulling strings behind the scenes. The council vote, the trial placements—who knew how far it would go? How far it had already gone. But if I told Damon... Everything would unravel. My identity. My place here. The fragile balance I’d been walking since the day I stepped into this palace. My throat tightene