I raised my hand high, but before it could land on Audrey's face, someone shoved me hard from behind.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
My knee was already injured. I lost my footing, and my body tumbled down the staircase.
A searing pain shot through my elbow. Something warm trickled down my forehead.
Blood smeared across my face.
Edmund stared down at me, eyes wide with shock.
"Louisa, are you okay? I didn't mean to—"
He started to rush down the stairs toward me, but Audrey clung to his arm, her voice trembling with practiced hurt.
"Edmund, Felix's class had a parent-teacher conference today, but the teacher couldn't reach Louisa no matter how many times she called."
"The other kids were calling him a motherless bastard. That's the only reason I went in her place. But she cursed me out, called me a meddling outsider, told me to get lost, and then tried to hit me."
"My sister is watching from heaven. If she could see me being treated this way, it would break her heart."
The words landed, and Edmund's face darkened instantly.
He stared at me, cold as stone.
"Audrey is Felix's biological aunt. She shares his blood. If she's an outsider, then what does that make you?"