Nora's POV
"What?" I ask, though I heard Antonia's words perfectly clear.
James rushes forward while Vivien stands frozen by the staircase, her sharp intake of breath echoing through the entryway. Technically, this house still belongs to me, and any vampire I've invited inside can enter freely until I revoke that invitation. Having Antonia and James able to come and go might prove useful, even if it puts Vivien at greater risk just by association.
James takes Renata from Antonia's arms, cradling her against his chest and pressing his cool cheek to her burning forehead. Her wails pierce through me, each cry feeling like a knife twisting in my heart.
"The spell," I manage to stammer, my throat constricting painfully. "It must have been too much for her." The words stick in my throat, refusing to come out properly.
I'm still feeling the aftereffects myself, and I'm a grown woman.
How could her tiny body handle what nearly overwhelmed me?
