Liah's POV

I couldn't scrub hard enough.

The bucket of soapy water was already murky, but I kept dipping the rag, kept pressing it against the same patch of marble until my arm burned.

It didn't matter that the floor was spotless. It didn't matter that my knees had gone numb against the cold stone. Nothing mattered except working until I forgot.

But I couldn't forget.

Every time I closed my eyes, I felt their heat again, Kael's lips brushing my throat, ...