Delilah's Pov

The garden was quiet again.

Just me, the scent of roses, and the faint echo of Islode's heels clicking against the marble path as she stormed away. I didn't chase her. I just stood there, staring at the fading trail of her perfume, trying to calm the storm inside me.

My chest burned with anger, pain, everything mixing together until I couldn't tell which was which anymore. My fingers were trembling slightly, not because I was scared, but because I was tired.

Tired of defending myself.

Tired of pretending that every cut didn't hurt.

The breeze moved softly through my hair, brushing over my face like some invisible...