CHAPTER 19
Ariel's POV
I crept through the west wing, my heart pounding in my chest. I'd been warned never to come here, but something about it drew me like a moth to flame.
I pushed open a door, and a musty smell wafted out. The room was dimly lit, but my eyes adjusted slowly, and that's when I saw a painting, covered in a cloth.
It stood out, so it would easily get anyone else's attention.
My curiosity got the better of me, and I pulled the cloth off, revealing a beautiful portrait of a woman.
My brows furrowed.
And this woman was my mother?
Was I seeing things? What was her portrait doing here?
My breath caught in my throat as I gazed into her eyes, the same eyes I saw every day in the mirror. But it wasn't just her face that caught my attention; it was the man holding her, his
