Trauma, according to the goddess of knowledge, was unpredictable in humans. To call it a parasite would be the most accurate analogy. Sometimes visible, sometimes not, trauma had a way of rooting deep within a person and destroying them without anyone else knowing. More often than not, their wounds weren't worn externally. They were wounds of the mind, and even time couldn't fix them. In fact, sometimes time made them worse.
A week. That's how long had passed since His Majesty and my father set out to meet the Démenci army to the east. At this point, they probably hadn't yet reached Petrich in Baron Morley's territory. But they would soon reach the front lines. They would soon see war again. Because of me. Because I wasn't strong enough to fight back.
I stared blankly at the painte
