Juliana did nothing. Didn't breathe. Didn't blink.
Her pulse thundered in her ears, but outwardly, she was still. Too still. Like a string pulled taut, ready to snap.
She just knelt there, frozen.
Her fingers twitched at her sides, but the rest of her body wouldn't move.
Wouldn't react.
Wouldn't do anything except exist in this moment — in this horrifyingly impossible moment.
Samael's words echoed in her ears. "Because I was the one who set you up."
It didn't even make sense!
Set her up?
Her mind tripped over itself trying to process everything.
It was like trying to grasp onto smoke, the meaning slipping away before she could hold onto it.
Set her up?!
Finally, she took a shuddering breath.
A tremor crawled up her spine like a thousand needles pressing against her skin.
He set her up?!
He?!
She forced her lips to move, but all that came out was a shallow gasp.
No, it was impossible!
