Thorne's Penance, Elara's Triumph

recoiled. The li

ut, to deny it. "N

was nothing,

fake. Seraphina' s accusa

eard. She was trapped, wat

e stared at th

w tigh

roubled," he said, h

e space where Elara'

Even in death, s

raphina' s sla

desperate, silent deni

victory. She pre

weep, soft, p

What if her sinful spirit tries

inst him, feig

ed Thorne' s negative

unaway, but a source o

is arm aroun

his voice now cold steel

space again, his eyes f

ith such impurity, it is

pulling Serap

. We will pray for protec

a' s spirit, leav

last hope for even a shred o

nor Vance entere

na' s dramatic story,

ied a small,

to cause trouble, perhaps even to be reb

tle. A harsh, bitter

d to sterilize, to purify

liquid around the roo

" she spat. "You will no

rit felt a p

her mother. "Why? Why

hearing a fai

around, her

oment you were conceived," E

e. You deserve not

More hatred. Fro

a strange calm then.

hat they beli

pain of the bitter

alone, with their hat

ew dimmer, mo

s fadi

r room, Elara' s spirit saw

with Se

the same flowers that grew near the orpha

garland on Ser

d, a triumphant

of affection, using fl

ment. He had mov

ced something in a shadowe

loose stone, a

lded piece

tch. A quick, charcoal drawing o

ne, years ago

neath: "A flicker of light i

rds? F

r of hope sparked within

else? Was there more t