A Mother's Defiance

Hidden Safe House—Unknown Location, Same Time

Isolde sat in the chair beside the bed, staring at Leona sleeping in drug-induced silence. Soft light from a small lamp illuminated her daughter's face—peaceful, calm, unaware of the chaos spinning outside the room.​

Isolde's hand moved gently, wiping Leona's face with a warm cloth—a motion she'd done thousands of times since Leona was a baby. Back the