The party set out the next morning, and their path opened into rolling hills covered in tall grass, and beyond that they crossed through rocky terrain where the ground was uneven and the horses had to pick their way carefully over loose stones.

They passed a few scattered villages in the distance, each one abandoned. The fields they crossed had once been farmland, but now lay fallow and overgrown.

Myrenne led them without much conversation, occasionally pointing out landmarks or warning them about uneven ground, and they took brief stops at intervals to rest the horses and stretch their legs before continuing.

By midday they had crossed into a valley where a river ran alongside the road and provided a source of fresh water when they stopped again.

Aeris remained quiet for most of the journey, sitting in the cart and watching everything with wide eyes, while Laela and Arianna spoke quietly between themselves and Aiden kept his attention on the road ahead.

———

For the last few days Helena had been keeping watch on Taenyra, learning her routines and the places she frequented, and so she knew by this time of the day the girl would be in the garden.

Helena sat on one of the stone benches in the corner of the garden, her hands folded in her lap as she waited, and she kept her expression calm even though her heart was beating faster than usual.

The garden was beautiful, filled with flowering plants that bloomed in shades of white and purple and pale blue.

Stone pathways wound through the beds of flowers and several small fountains trickled in the background.

The sound of footsteps on the stone path made Helena look up, and Taenyra appeared from around the corner with a small basket in her hand.

The girl paused when she saw Helena, her eyes widening slightly in surprise, but she quickly composed herself and offered a polite smile.

"Lady Helena," Taenyra said, inclining her head respectfully. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Good afternoon, Taenyra," Helena replied warmly. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all," Taenyra said, and she moved toward another corner of the garden where the flowers grew thicker and began to examine them carefully, occasionally bending down to pick one and place it gently in her basket.

Helena stood after a moment and walked slowly toward her. "You come here often, don't you?" she asked.

Taenyra nodded without looking up. "I love the gardens," she said softly. "It's peaceful here, and the flowers are always so beautiful."

"They are indeed," Helena agreed, stepping closer and looking down at the basket. "You have a good eye for choosing them."

Taenyra smiled faintly. "Thank you."

Helena paused for a moment before speaking again, with her voice gentle. "Your hair is very pretty," she said, reaching out slightly as if to gesture toward it. "That white color, it's quite striking. It makes me feel like I'm looking at my daughter's hair."

Taenyra glanced up at her with a small smile. "Thank you, my lady. Lysandra's hair is pretty as well."

Helena smiled and took another step closer. "May I feel it?" she asked softly. "I hope that's not too strange a request."

Taenyra hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Of course."

Helena reached out and gently touched the girl's hair, running her fingers through the soft white strands, and as she did so she carefully pinched a single strand between her fingers and pulled it free without Taenyra noticing.

She held it discreetly in her palm and let her hand drop back to her side.

"It's very soft," Helena said, her voice still warm. "You take good care of it."

Taenyra smiled again. "Thank you, my lady."

Helena stepped back and nodded politely. She looked around the garden for a moment before saying "I'll leave you to your flowers."

Taenyra smiled and nodded again.

However, without really waiting for a response, Helena turned and walked away from the garden, with her hand still closed tightly around the strand of hair.

————

Helena had returned to the chambers she shared with her children, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Lucas lay on the bed with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. When she entered, he sat up and asked, "Where have you been?"

Helena ignored him entirely and moved toward a different corner of the room, opening a small wooden chest and pulling out a rolled scroll.

She unrolled it carefully on the floor and retrieved a quill from the desk, dipping it in ink before drawing a small magic circle on the paper.

Lucas watched her with growing confusion. "Mother, what are you doing?"

"Keep quiet," Helena said sharply without looking at him.

She placed the strand of white hair in the center of the circle and closed her eyes, her lips moving as she began to chant in a low voice. "Veritas lumen, ostende mihi."

The hair strand began to float slowly above the circle, glowing faintly with a soft golden light, and Lucas stood abruptly from bed with his eyes widening.

"Mother, what are you doing?" he asked again, louder this time.

Helena raised one hand to silence him.

She was casting an "Ancestral Trace" spell. One she had learned during her time as a young Starry Maiden mage under the former Captain, Ursula.

The golden light intensified and Helena's eyes snapped open as a blurry vision filled her mind.

She saw Jarius's face, and that was when the realization hit her.

She gasped and immediately stopped the spell, stumbling backward and catching herself against the wall.

Her hands were shaking and her breath came in short, uneven gasps.

Lucas moved toward her quickly. "What's going on?" he demanded. "What did you just see?"

Helena didn't answer at first, her legs giving out beneath her as she sank down onto the floor and pressed her hands over her face.

A sob escaped her throat and then another, and within moments she was crying openly with her shoulders shaking.

The door opened and Lysandra stepped inside, with her eyes immediately falling on her mother sitting on the floor in tears. "What happened?" she asked sharply, looking between Lucas and Helena.

Lucas shook his head. "I don't know," he said helplessly. "She just cast some spell and then, this."

Lysandra moved closer and knelt down beside her mother, placing one hand gently on her shoulder. "Mother, what's wrong?"

Helena looked up at her with tear-streaked cheeks and her voice broke as she spoke. "I just found out that Arnarra's last child, Taenyra, is also your father's child."

Lucas let out a sharp breath and took a step back, with his face going pale instantly. "What?"

Lysandra's expression remained calm but sad. She didn't look surprised.

Helena noticed immediately and her eyes narrowed even through the tears. "Wait," she said slowly. "You knew?"

Lysandra hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes," she admitted quietly. "I found out over two weeks ago."

Helena stared at her in disbelief. "And you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't see any need to," Lysandra said gently. "I knew it would leave you exactly the way it's left you now, and I didn't want to hurt you more than you've already been hurt."

Well, that—and the fact that she couldn't let something like this interfere with her arrangements with Lady Arnarra.

Helena let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. "I'm currently living under the protection of the woman Jarius was casually sleeping around with," she said, her voice breaking again. "What sort of fool does that make me?"

"Mother, it's not your fault," Lucas said quickly, moving closer and kneeling beside her. "You didn't know."

"Maybe Jarius did deserve to die," Helena said suddenly, her voice sharp and filled with pain. "After all, it was one of the bastards he fathered that killed him."

Lucas flinched at the words but said nothing, and Lysandra reached out to take her mother's hand.

Helena sobbed again and pulled her hand away, covering her face once more. Lucas and Lysandra exchanged a helpless glance, and for a long moment the only sound in the room was Helena's weeping.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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