ora

to pieces, Matron.

ieve Carlisle, my adoptive mother, sat enthroned in a velvet armchair, a delicate porcelain teacup held in her perfec

monial sword. He was Genevieve's trueborn son, the heir to the Carlisle

etting out of hand. She nee

d she wore when she was about to be particularly cruel. "Now, Maddox, don't be so harsh. Aurora has just retu

ile couldn't conceal. She was already calculating. I knew that look. I

butler announ

en awarded for my service-gleaming steel plates over hardened leather. It wasn't parade armor; it was functional, bearing several faint scratches and a small dent near t

is sword. "What is this farce? Do you think you're in a

ch cracked. This was a more direct defiance than she had anticipated. T

gave a slight, formal nod of my head. "Mother. I have returned." My to

rced her smile back into place, though it was strained now. "So you have, child. Welcome

eminder of the prize she intended to steal, a re

d no

lear, "I must first pay my respects to Aunt Adeline.

man Genevieve had systematically isolated and poisoned, keeping her con

defiance. This was a direct challenge to her authority. In Carlisle Manor, every vi

iving visitors," Genevieve said, he

forward. "Aurora, don't push yo

hem both, my armor making a soft clinking sound with th

ried. I didn't give them time to react, to summon guar

ng porcelain. Genevieve had finally lost control. The sound of her t

crisp morning air. I could feel their hateful glares on my bac

, had used her last ounce of strength to try and shield me from G

ded part of the estate where Adeline was kept. A young maid, Jane, stood

the Matron's

a military-grade medical kit. "These are advanced healing salves

d from inside the room. It was a voice that haunted

rora? Let h

the rest of the manor. And there, resting on a chaise lounge by the window, was Adeline. Her face was pale and drawn, her beautiful silv

voice frail. "You're thinner. T

, hot and sharp, but I forced the

knee beside her chaise lounge, my armor cold agains

ng all the love, all the regret, all the fierce,

silent vow, was m