Elaria
Alaric said nothing, just turned and walked out of the room.
I stood frozen, stunned into silence. The only sound was Pa Jerry's ragged breathing behind me. When I turned to face him, I found his lips trembling with fury.
“Your father is a fool,” he spat, his voice low and venomous.
“Uncle. . .”
“Don’t call me that!” he snapped.
I flinched. He had never raised his voice at me before.
A heavy silence fell between us. Then he exhaled sharply, as if deflating from the weight of his rage. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout,” he muttered. “But your father. . . he knows what Alaric did to our family. He knows how that man shattered the bond between us. . . and still, he gave you to him like you were some pawn on a board. Who does that?”
My heart clenched. “What do you mean? How di
