CHAPTER 22: The Motive

When Lily awoke, night had fallen over the entire city. As pain shot through her flesh, she winced. Her body was covered in bruises, and the pain was spreading to her heart, making her uncomfortable. 

She forced herself to get up and then soaked her body in the tub filled with ice. Even as a small child, after she received a beating from her father, she used to take an iced-water bath as an immediate remedy. She shut her eyes, trying to feel her numb body. The pain in her heart ached too much, causing her tears to begin to pour. She had consumed too much anguish to be able to sense how chilly the water was.