SARAPHINA’S POV

I grabbed the phone tighter, my heart hammering against my ribs. His voice sounded different through the cracking speaker - tired, maybe hurt. I could hear something else underneath it too, something that made my stomach twist.

"Have you come to blame me?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them. I deserved whatever he was going to throw at me. I deserved his anger, his hatred, everything.

"That's not why I called," he said quietly.

"You should," I said, pressing my ...