As expected, Aria had been up most of the night, and she had thought deeply about what she had just found out. Yes, her feelings for Alder had been overwhelming, and they remained so till now, and he had probably known all along, but at this moment, those very feelings made her feel like a fool. Perhaps that had been planned too, perhaps it had all been part of the plan that she became attracted to him.
The thought had seared her heart all night, but there was truly nothing she could do about it. She was upset with him, she was upset with Nerissa, and she was upset with the entire realm, but she had to live with it. She had no other option.
It hadn’t been long when she fell asleep that she heard Nerissa’s voice waking her softly. Her eyes snapped open, and she glared at her; her anger ha
