Riane

Chapter One

My body throbbed in pain.

My throat was sore. My hands were bleeding.

Bleeding?

What had I done?

My eyes, wet with tears, scanned the room—the scattered bed, the shattered mirror, the flipped-over table.

Everything looked wrong. Broken. Like something violent had happened here.
Like I had done something violent.

A wave of fear rushed through me as I staggered forward, unsteady, trying to remember. Anything. But my mind was blank—empty, like something had been taken from it.

Careful not to step on the glass shards, I bent down and picked up a piece of the broken mirror.

I looked at myself—
and my breath caught.

My hair, damp with sweat, clung to my forehead and shoulders. My eyes were red and swollen from crying. My lips were bruised, slightly parted.

Dark purple marks were scattered across my neck and arms.

My knuckles were raw… blistered… bleeding.

My dress was torn, barely holding together.

My heart began to race, my head spinning.

I was in a fight.

Nothing more.

It had to be just a fight.

I hoped it was.

But the weight of not knowing twisted deep in my stomach, making me feel sick.

My legs gave out beneath me.
The mirror slipped from my hand, shattering again as I hit the wooden floor. My breathing came in shallow pants, like I was drowning in something I couldn’t see.

Then—
The door burst open.

A girl my age rushed in, a strong scent of perfume following her. She dropped beside me instantly, cupping my face, her emerald eyes filled with tears.

“Riane—oh my God…”

Who was she?

What was going on?

She pulled me into her, sobbing against my shoulder.

“I’m so glad you’re okay… I’m so, so sorry,” she choked out.

I stared at her, completely lost.

She pulled back, quickly wiping her tears, forcing herself to calm down.

“Okay,” she said, her voice urgent now.

“We have to go. Now.”

Before I could react, she grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet and brushing me off like she knew exactly what she was doing.

Like she knew what had happened.
I frowned slightly, pulling away from her grip.

“Look at me,” I said, my voice barely audible as I snatched my hands from hers.

She froze.

Her eyes widened, like I had just done something wrong.

“Riane,” she said firmly, the only sign she had been crying moments ago the faint tears clinging to her lashes.

Riane?
Who the hell was Riane?

“Let’s go,” she said again, her gaze boring into mine like it was a command.

I had no idea what was happening.

What had just happened?

The confusion on my face must have shown, because irritation flickered across hers.