Aria's pov
Margery stepped between us, her eyes pleading. "Stop it, both of you. This isn't helping."
I stared at Geoffrey, searching his face for any sign of the man I had trusted for so long. But all I saw was someone I no longer recognized, someone who had become a stranger.
"Let's just keep moving," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
We resumed our journey, the silence between us heavy with unspoken words. I could feel Geoffrey's eyes on me, but I refused to look back. I needed to focus on the path ahead, on the promise of freedom that lay beyond the borders of the kingdom.
But as we walked, doubt began to creep in, its insidious tendrils wrapping around my heart. What if I was making a mistake? What if Geoffrey wasn't the ally I thought he was? What if I was walking into something far worse than the life I was leaving behind?
"Aria," Geoffrey said suddenly, his voice cutting through my thoughts.
