The night air was crisp, heavy with the weight of unspoken words. I wandered the keep’s courtyard, my thoughts a tangled web of emotions I couldn’t unravel. The revelation of my father’s manipulations, the years of forced cruelty from Aric—all of it burned inside me, a fire refusing to be extinguished.

Anger, betrayal—those emotions simmered beneath my skin. A part of me wanted to confront Aric again, demand why he hadn’t told me sooner. But another part of me knew it wouldn’t change anything. The past was done. The only thing left was what I chose to do next.

The shard was silent, neither guiding nor comforting me. Perhaps it, too, was waiting.

I heard Resna’s footsteps before she spoke, her presence quiet but not silent enough to avoid my notice.

“You’re brooding.”

I let out a humorless chuckle. “And here I thought I was just walking.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

She stopped a few feet away. “I heard what happened.”

“Of course you did.” The keep had many ears. News traveled fast.

Resna exhaled softly. “And?”

I turned slightly toward her. “And what?”

“What are you going to do now?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? I had spent years proving my worth to a man who saw me as nothing more than a pawn. I had fought, struggled, bled—only to realize it had all been orchestrated. Controlled.

But now, for the first time, I had no master but myself.

“I’m leaving,” I said finally. “At dawn.”

Resna didn’t react, as if she had expected the answer. “Where?”

“The next corrupted site,” I said. “The magic isn’t waiting, so neither am I.”

She sighed. “You know Aric will follow, right?”

I exhaled slowly. “I know.”

She studied me for a long moment before nodding. “Then I’ll be ready.”

“You’re coming?”

“You’ll need someone watching your back,” she said. “And between you and Aric, I’d rather keep an eye on the one who actually listens to reason.”

A faint smile tugged at my lips. “Flattered.”

“Don’t be.”

She turned and left without another word. I stood there a moment longer, the weight of my decision settling in. I wasn’t leaving for my father. I wasn’t leaving for Aric. I wasn’t even leaving to prove myself anymore.

I was leaving because this was my path.

And I would walk it, no matter where it led.