A sweet smile appeared on his face. But instead of making Rose feel safe, it only made her stomach turn.
Rose's eyes trembled. Her fingers curled tightly against the ground until dirt filled the spaces beneath her nails.
She gathered what little strength she had left before finally asking, "Where… where is my family?"
"Your family?" The Cardinal tilted his head as if he truly didn't understand. "But I'm your family."
A moment later, his eyes widened, and he let out a small gasp, as if he was mocking her. "Oh. You mean your husband and daughter?"
The Cardinal's smile grew wider. "Right. How could I forget?"
He then raised one hand, and only then did Rose notice that he was holding something behind his back.
Before she could see what it was, the Cardinal casually tossed it toward her. It hit the burned ground and rolled several times before finally stopping only a short distance away from her.
