CILLIAN
The food tasted bitter in my mouth this evening, and no amount of wine could wash down the sourness of my mood.
My parents had been avoiding my company ever since I stood up for Arielle in the closed court hearing, but now that they had finally invited me to a shared dinner, I still could feel the icy walls towering between us.
Each scraping of a knife or a fork felt like a pointed grating against my raw nerves, and the more I forced the food down my throat, the more I felt the need to vomit it all out.
The only thing that kept me going was the fact that the Halloween Party was rapidly approaching, and in just a week, I'd finally be able to see Arielle again.
"Are you all ready for the Halloween Costume Party?" Mother asked as if she could read my mind.
I nodded, faking a quiet smile. "Yes."
