"Ria!"
In the thick silence weighed down by grief and magic, the Duchess voice called out again—soft, steady, yet so powerful it cut through Arianne's haze of emotions.
She turned to her quickly, her chest heaving, tears streaking her face.
Her mother's eyes opened slowly, calm despite the blood at her lips.
"Calm down, my child," Lady Crimson said gently. "You're hurting everyone here."
Arianne blinked, as if awakened from a deep trance. Her gaze swept the room. She looked at the pale faces of servants, their breathing ragged—all worn from the violent outburst.
Some had blood dripping from their ears and noses, protected only by the former Duke's barrier.
"I…" Arianne's voice cracked.
"Listen to me, my child" her mother continued, still smiling faintly through her weakness. "Don't fall apart just because I'm leaving, you know. Fate has chosen this path for me… and I've accepted it."
Taking a breath in, she continued.
