Earlier before Daniel went missing
Margret sat quietly in the royal carriage as it rolled down the long, winding road toward Evelyn’s palace. Her hands rested in her lap, fingers idly tracing the embroidery on her gown, but her mind was elsewhere—lost in memories of the sister she had once known.
Ten years. A full decade since Evelyn had left, since they had last truly spoken. At first, there had been letters—polite, distant at times, but still letters. Then, slowly, the replies dwindled. Now, it had been nearly a year since she had heard anything at all.
Margret hated the silence. It gnawed at her, filled her nights with worry. Was Evelyn happy? Was she safe? Was she being treated well?
The thought of Kaelen made her stomach twist. She had never trusted him, never liked the way he loo
