Maisie
There was a heaviness in his eyes. "There are days we fear we did the wrong thing, making that decision for you. Stealing that from you." His thumb creased over my pulse. "People are complicated, May. Different layers. Like onion bulbs."
A small laugh bubbled out of me. "You're calling the infamous Exile Queen an onion bulb?"
His kissable lips twitched. "Maybe."
That heaviness returned and he continued, "You peel one layer, thinking you've reached the heart of them, only to find another. Some layers are dry and brittle. The scars, the mistakes, the ugly parts they hide from the world. Some layers have rot in them, but within, there may be something worth saving. Others are tender, almost sweet, the parts they protect the most fiercely. You cry when you cut into them. Not because they're cruel… but because the truth stings. Because it's real."
