Sera's POV
After Gideon left, the silence of the bedroom settled over me like a heavy wool blanket.
I paced the perimeter of the room, my light footsteps barely making a sound against the polished hardwood. Four paces to the tall windows, six paces to the stone fireplace.
I can’t stay in here forever, I thought, my mind spinning. And I can’t just follow Gideon around like a shadow while he runs a territory.
Gideon was giving me space, giving me time to heal, but if I stayed cooped up in these four walls waiting for permission to live, I’d just build another cage out of comfort. I had to take the initiative. I had to start reclaiming small pieces of my own life.
My eyes wandered over to the corner table, landing on the box of charcoal, paints, and fine paper Gideon had bought for me.
