The grand hall of the packhouse, a place meant to command respect, felt suffocating today.
The high, arched ceilings and cold stone walls echoed with the tension hanging between us.
My mother, the Luna Dowager, stood at the center of it all, her elegant yet unyielding posture radiating authority.
Beside her, as always, was Tasya—the woman she had been forcing into my life since I came of age.
From the threshold, I could already feel the storm brewing. My chest tightened with suppressed anger as I stepped into the room, my boots striking the floor with deliberate weight.
"Ragnor," my mother said, her voice as sharp as a blade. "We need to settle this matter. Now."
Her tone left no room for argument, but I wasn’t about to give in. I crossed my arms and fixed her with a glare. "Settl
