Then, the day Ravina dreaded had finally arrived. She had received a response from the letter she sent to the count. Alone in her room, seated on the couch with a warm cup of tea steaming on the table, she held the black envelope in her hands. The red wax seal, pressed with the image of a raven, was still intact. She hadn’t found the courage to open it yet.

Ravina hadn’t been entirely honest with the count, but she hadn’t lied either. She had simply given him the prominent details. It wasn’t as if she was truly his daughter, so why would he care either way? Right? She slid a hesitant finger under the flap of the envelope, stopping when she touched the red wax.

But what if he doubled down on his indifferent attitude? she wondered, her heart racing. Sure, he helped with the orphans, but that was only because their attitude insulted the Ravenshield name. He had to act, didn’t he?

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Her mind spiraled, torn between what the letter might hold. Would he support her? Or dismiss her concerns? Maybe the letter contained a formal rejection for bothering him with such a trivial matter. After all, she hadn’t exactly told him that she’d been captured as a slave. She felt her stomach knot as anxiety gripped her.

With a deep breath, she finally broke the seal and pulled out the dull white paper inside. The message was short, clear, and terrifyingly simple: “I’m on my way.”

“Fuck,” she muttered, her hands trembling slightly. The letter revealed nothing of his mood or intentions, only serving to amplify her anxiety.