The journey back to the castle was a blur, the weight of Kara’s discovery pressing down on her like a suffocating storm. The wind howled through the night, carrying the distant scent of rain and burning wood, but she barely noticed. Her mind was consumed with one thought—her mother had known.
Anaxia had known about the Shadow King. She had met him, confronted him, fought to keep Kara from him.
And she had never told her.
By the time she passed through the castle gates, her body ached from exhaustion, but she didn’t stop. She moved swiftly through the halls, ignoring the cautious glances of the guards and the murmurs of the servants. Right now, she didn’t care about anyone else. She just needed to be alone, to breathe, to figure out what the hell she was supposed to do next.
She reached
