In her study, Carissa wrote a letter. Then, she handed it to Jacob with instructions to have it delivered to Rafael in the Southern Frontier.

She knew the situation in the Southern Frontier. Victor was amassing troops but neither attacking nor retreating, keeping things in a stalemate.

Everyone knew that Victor was just stalling. He had been given a military order to invade the Southern Frontier, but since Nicholas had failed, he could not return with any captured cities or military achievements to report.

If Victor made a hasty retreat now, he would likely lose more than just his position-his life might benoveldrama

forfeited as well. He attempted to forge alliances with the nomads, hoping to find a way out-perhaps a way to secure his future or an escape from certain doom.

The nomads, tired of conflict, had no interest in picking sides. Caught in the middle, they were doing everything they could to remain neutral, refusing to aid either side.

If they really had to choose, they would choose Starhaven. But naturally, it was better to avoid choosing sides altogether.

Victor's position was weak. According to reports from Rafael, he intended to continue pursuing Victor relentlessly until the latter had no choice but to retreat. If they weren't beaten hard enough, they would never give up on their ambitions.

Carissa sat in her study for a moment, recalling a line she had written in a letter to him earlier-a simple line that she missed him. Her cheeks flushed at the thought.

"Cari!" Violet knocked at the door.

"Come in," Carissa said, hastily rubbing her face with both hands. She quickly straightened up as the door opened.

Violet entered, with Zoey following behind.

"Ms. Stark said she wanted to come and thank you," Violet explained, calling Zoey by her maiden name

now.

Zoey stepped forward and curtsied, her eyes still slightly red. "Your Grace, I truly don't know how to thank you enough for your kindness during these days..."

Carissa smiled, cutting Zoey off before the moment could grow too heavy. "If you're offering yourself, that's more than enough. I'm not one for anything too grand."

Zoey paused, caught off guard by Carissa's teasing remark. But then, seeing the playful glint in her eyes, Zoey couldn't help but smile in return.

Violet didn't join them at the table.

She mentioned that she had to go to Glimmering. Tower. The members of the Pathfinders Guild and the Spencer family were still there, and she had been going over to the Glimmering Tower every night.

Carissa inquired about Evelyn's condition, at which Zoey's gaze darkened.

"Since we returned from the execution grounds, she's been crying nonstop. No one can console her," she said.

"And you?" Carissa asked gently. "Do you feel sorrow, or is it anger you feel toward him?"

After everything that had happened, Carissa knew many emotions were building up inside Zoey, and she needed a way to release them.

At the question, Zoey straightened instinctively, as if bracing herself. She put on a mask of indifference, her face betraying no emotion.

But after a brief pause, she recalled the words she had just spoken to Courtney. Deciding to face her emotions head-on, she spoke firmly, her voice steady but resolute.

"I feel nothing but hatred for him!"

The bitterness surged within her, and the hatred flickered in her eyes.

"They say that when a person dies, all past grudges should fade away. But I can still hear the sounds of my children's frantic cries when we were thrown into Astral Prison. that moment, our family was as good as dead. Our lives hung by a thread, dictated by the whim of the king. And it was all because of him."

She paused, then continued, "Though we survived Astral Prison, it wasn't because of him. If he had returned to the capital to turn himself in as soon as he learned we were imprisoned, I wouldn't hate him this much.

"I doubt you could understand what

it was like to be in Astral Prison, where death could come at any time. You couldn't know the pain of watching your children dragged off to exile, it was unbearable... And yet, even in his final moments, he blamed me. I'm relieved that he never understood his wrongs. If he had, my hatred for him might have lessened, but I refuse to feel that way."

As Zoey spoke, the tears fell freely, each drop an echo of the pain she had carried for so long. She was finally allowing herself to grieve.

Carissa stood up and handed her a handkerchief, saying softly, "It's all behind you now. Things will get better from here on out."

Zoey took the handkerchief, pressing it to her face as she allowed herself to cry freely.

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