TRISTAN

"What?" The word felt stuck in my throat, jagged and sharp. I finally found my voice, but it sounded like someone else’s.

I took a shaky step toward her. The room felt like it was spinning, but I fixed my eyes on Livia. "Livia, is it true?"

She didn't answer. She couldn't.

For a heartbeat, she just stared at me, her face a mask of panic. Then, she lunged. She threw her arms around me, burying her face into my chest. Her tears soaked through my shirt, cold and sticky against my ...