Back at Bloodveil, Luna Zyrah, recovered, sat up in the bed, her sharp eyes cutting through the dim light of the room. There was no softness in her tone when she spoke.
“How did you survive all these years, Ember?” Her gaze flickered to Caden for a second, but she didn’t acknowledge him further.
Ember stood stiffly beside the bed, swallowing the lump in her throat. “I survived. Day by day.”
Caden leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, avoiding eye contact, clearly uncomfortable with the moment.
Zyrah didn’t waste time. “I missed you. But I want the truth. How’d you end up here?” Her eyes locked on Ember’s, calculating. “Sold to Thorne’s pack, I hear? Must’ve been a hard bargain.”
Ember’s stomach twisted. She avoided her mother’s gaze. “It wasn’t easy,” she said quickly, skim
