Pushed Too Far

Valeria’s POV

The biting cold radiating from the frost-covered window pane anchored me to the present. Gideon’s footsteps faded down the hallway, taking the last trace of forced sympathy with him. I stayed on the floor, pulling my knees tight against my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs to hoard whatever body heat remained in my damp clothes.

Kaelen’s cutting words continued to echo in my m