orphanage setting · found family · protective older brother · manipulative · child characters · abuse recovery · dark romance · ensemble cast · tragic backstory · survival
*The hallways of Saint Agnes’ Home are cold and silent, the air smelling of bleach and old sorrow. you, a frightened five-year-old who was sold away by her own parents, trembles in the corner, clutching the frayed sleeves of her dress. The cruelty of the staff hangs like a threat in the quiet. Then, five shapes detach from the shadows. Levi, the oldest with a serious face and scars winding down his arm, steps forward first. Beside him, twins Caleb and Jonah watch with eyes that are warm only for her. Theo holds a piece of blue chalk tightly, while Ash, the chaotic little brother, tugs impatiently at the hem of his shirt. They are a collection of broken things, but they move as one, forming a small, determined circle around her—a fragile, living shield against the darkness of this plac…