The Manor was a beast of stone and ivy. It sprawled across the landscape, a monument to old money and older secrets. The helicopter touched down on a private pad that was manicured better than most golf courses.

Servants were lined up. It was like a scene from a period drama, ridiculous and intimidating.

Nicholas didn't come inside. A black sedan was waiting for him on the tarmac. He gave Seraphina a curt nod-a single, sharp dip of the chin-and got into the car.

As the car drove away, Seraphina felt the loss of his energy immediately. The world seemed a little dimmer, a little colder.

Harrison guided her toward the massive oak doors. Alfred, the butler, bowed low.

"Welcome home, Miss Seraphina."

Inside, the foyer was cavernous. A crystal chandelier the size of a small car hung overhead.

Standing at the base of the grand staircase were three people.

Her father, Archibald Sterling. He stood rigid, his hands clasped behind his back. His face was a map of stern lines. He looked at her not with love, but with appraisal.

Beside him, Eleanor, her stepmother. She was wearing a dress that cost more than the Grimes' trailer. Her smile was painted on, tight and brittle.

And a young man. Julian. Her younger brother. Archibald's son. He was leaning against the banister, wearing a racing jacket, chewing gum with an insolent rhythm.

"Father," Harrison said, stepping forward. "She's home."

Archibald nodded. He walked up to Seraphina. He didn't hug her. He looked at her flannel shirt, her muddy boots, her messy hair.

"You're a mess," he said.

Seraphina held his gaze. "I've had a long day."

Archibald huffed. "Go get cleaned up. We have standards here."

Eleanor stepped in, her perfume cloying. "Oh, Archie, give her a break. She's been living in... well, you know."

She said it like Seraphina had been living in a sewer. Which, metaphorically, wasn't far off.

Julian laughed. He pushed off the banister and sauntered over. He looked Seraphina up and down.

"So this is the lost sheep?" Julian smirked. "You smell like a deep fryer."

Harrison stepped between them. "Watch your mouth, Julian."

Julian rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to the track. This reunion is boring."

Seraphina looked at Julian. She looked past his arrogance, past the expensive jacket.

She saw a black mark on his forehead. It was pulsing. A dark, jagged line that cut through his lifeline.

"Don't go," she said.

Julian paused, keys dangling in his hand. "Excuse me?"

"Don't go to the track today," Seraphina said. Her voice was flat, factual.

Julian laughed, a bark of amusement. "Why? Are you going to put a hex on me, witch girl?"

Seraphina didn't blink. "I smell burning rubber and copper. The air around you is thick with it. If you push that car today, the metal will fail."

Silence filled the hall. Archibald looked at her, his brows knitting together.

"That's enough," Archibald snapped. "Don't start your nonsense here, Seraphina. We sent you away to protect the family from these... delusions. Don't bring them back."

Julian shook his head, grinning. "Crazy. She's actually crazy."

He spun the keys on his finger and walked to the door. "See you later, freak."

Seraphina watched him go. She felt the heavy thud of fate locking into place.

"He won't," she whispered to herself.

Back at the trailer park, the air was still charged with the residue of the helicopter's departure.

Brenda was pacing the small living room. She had applied a fresh coat of bright red lipstick, but her hands were shaking.

"Did you see that suit?" Brenda hissed. "Did you see the logo on that chopper? Sterling Industries."

Richard was at the computer, typing with two fingers. He hit enter.

"Holy..." Richard breathed. He turned the screen. It showed a net worth estimation. It was in the billions.

"We are sitting on a gold mine," Richard said. He stood up, pacing. "We raised her. We have rights. Emotional distress. Abandonment."

Regina was sitting on the floor, holding her wrist in a bowl of ice water. The swelling had gone down, but the pain was getting worse. It felt like invisible needles were digging into her bones, though her skin looked perfectly normal to anyone else.

"Forget the lawsuit!" Regina shrieked. "Get me to the ball! I need a doctor! A rich doctor!"

Brenda stopped pacing. "What?"

"The Debutante Ball," Regina said, her eyes feverish. "The Sterlings sponsor it. If I can get near them... maybe they have the key. Maybe she did something to it that only she can undo. I need to force her to fix this!"

"But she hates us," Richard pointed out.

Regina pulled her arm out of the water. The bracelet glinted mockingly. "She doesn't want us to talk. We have dirt on her. We know about the... the weird stuff. The fires. The time she made the mirror crack. We threaten to go to the press. They'll pay us to shut up. And get me fixed."

Brenda's eyes lit up. Blackmail. It was a language she understood.

"Get dressed," Brenda commanded. "Put on your Sunday best. We're going to the Manor."

Regina tried to pull a sleeve over her throbbing arm. She winced.

"Just cover it up," Brenda said.

They piled into the rusty pickup truck. The engine sputtered and coughed black smoke before roaring to life.

As they pulled out of the driveway, a crow landed on the mailbox. It stared at the truck with bead-black eyes. It let out a single, harsh caw.

Regina shivered. "Drive faster, Dad."

The truck rattled down the road, heading toward a world they had no business entering, fueled by greed and a profound misunderstanding of who they were dealing with. They thought Seraphina was a victim. They didn't realize she was the judge, and the sentencing had already begun.

Alfred led Seraphina up the back stairs. The carpet here was thinner, the lighting dimmer.

"Your room, Miss," Alfred said, opening a door at the end of a long, drafty corridor.

It was a guest room, technically. But it was the one furthest from the family wing, right next to the linen closet and the service elevator. The view from the single window was of the industrial HVAC units and the back alley where the kitchen staff took smoke breaks.

"Father put me here?" Seraphina asked.

Alfred didn't meet her eyes. "Madam Eleanor suggested this room would be quieter. For your... readjustment."

Adjust. Code for "until you stop being an embarrassment."

Seraphina walked in. The room smelled of lavender sachets and underlying dampness. It was cold.

"It's fine," she said.

Alfred looked relieved. "I'll bring up a tray. The family has already dined."

He left.

Seraphina dropped her bag on the bed. She didn't mind the location. The energy here was stagnant, quiet. It was better than the chaotic noise of the main house.

She opened her bag. She took out a small wooden box. Inside were dried herbs-sage, mugwort, rosemary. She took out a piece of chalk.

She knelt on the floor and drew a small symbol under the bed. A grounding rune. To keep the nightmares out. Or to keep her power in.

The door opened. Harrison stood there. He looked around the room, and his face darkened.

"This is an insult," he said tightly. "I'm moving you to the East Wing."

"No," Seraphina said, standing up. "Leave it. I like the quiet."

Harrison walked over and grabbed her hands. His hands were warm. "You are a Sterling. You belong in the family suites."

"I am a Sterling by blood, Harrison. Not by habit. Let me breathe."

He looked at her, searching her face. He saw the resolve there. He sighed, defeated.

"Okay. But only for tonight."

He looked at the window. "Julian... he's an idiot. Don't let him get to you."

"He won't be bothering anyone tonight," Seraphina said.

Harrison frowned. "What do you mean?"

Seraphina walked to the window. She looked out at the darkening sky. She could see a faint glow in the distance, toward the highway. Flashing lights. Red and blue.

The phone in Harrison's pocket buzzed. Then it buzzed again. And again.

He pulled it out. He looked at the screen. His face went pale.

"It's the police," he whispered.

Seraphina didn't turn around. She placed her hand against the cold glass. She felt the vibration of the crash miles away. The metal twisting. The scream cut short.

"Go," she said.