CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Stara strolled through the gardens in the royal court of the Ridge, twisting her way through them, smelling the flowers but not really seeing them, so lost in thought, memories, and depression. Stara could not shake the past from her mind, could not shake images of Reece, of her love for him—of their love for each other. She kept reliving in her mind that last moment she had seen him, disembarking from Gwen’s ship to join Thorgrin on his search for his son.
It tore her up inside. She had begged him not to go, but there had been little she could do to change his mind. It was infuriating and made her feel helpless at the same time.
Stara could not forget the argument they’d had the night before, in the hold of the ship, each trying to get away from the other, yet each
