Miri’s POV.

Last night was the most eventful thing that has ever happened in my life. Not only did I have a direct battle with the people of Hollow Thorne, I also rescued Torven and found out about Draven’s involvement in all this. I wanted to slit his throat immediately after everything but my father stopped me. He said it was never wise to alert the enemy, because if we do nothing while he’s aware that we know something, it would make him sloppy. It would give us an opening to actually act.

There was some truth to his words, so I said nothing more and simply retired to my room to process everything I had learned.

And now... here I am, carrying a tray of breakfast to Torven’s room.

We do need to talk. We need to clarify things. Emotions were high last night. We haven't had a moment to actually speak to one another.

I knock gently on the door and wait. After hearing his faint "Come in," I let myself in.

“Good morning, Torven. I brought you breakfast, so you can eat—”

I don’t finish my sentence. The plate nearly drops from my hands when I’m startled by his surprise hug.

“My sweet baby sis,” he chokes, wrapping his arms tightly around me. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you. I couldn’t do anything for you. I let you suffer. I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I'm so, so sorry!”

He keeps repeating those words, his voice breaking more with every sentence and before I know it, I’m crying too. Tears spill freely, and all I can do is try to reassure him through choked sobs.

“It’s okay. It isn’t your fault. You did nothing wrong. Nothing wrong at all. You’re here now. You can protect me now, okay?”

We cry and hold each other for several long minutes, our breaths hitching, the weight of years crashing down between us. Eventually, we settle down, our eyes puffy and red. We laugh when we catch sight of one another’s faces.

“Can you explain it to me? Explain everything,” I ask quietly. “When did you become a demon? How are they not your real parents? How did Mom and Dad find you?”

“My lil sis always the impatient one. At least that hasn’t changed,” he teases, flicking my nose.

That gesture... it takes me back. I suddenly remember why Ryden’s flick at the cabin had felt so familiar. Torven always used to do it when I talked too much. The memory makes me smile.

“Stop it. Answer what I asked. I’m no longer that little fourteen-year-old child, you know?”

“Yeah, you’ve grown up so much,” he replies, a touch of sadness in his eyes. “Well, this is what happened...”

He leans back slightly, eyes distant as he begins.

“Mother was a demon who took refuge in the human realm. She hid her demonic powers and presence and eventually married a human. She told him the truth, but he loved her. He didn’t care. But Mom had two sworn sisters. One was a distant, neglected relative of the royal family she married into the Shadow Empire. The other was an entertainer who caught the eye of the Demon King. He slept with her and got her pregnant with me. But his queen and wife couldn’t tolerate my existence. They sent soldiers to kill both me and my mother.”

I inhale sharply, clutching my knees closer.

“Our mother and your mother were desperate to keep me alive, at least. They sent me to our adoptive parents and used a dead baby’s body to fake my death. The soldiers reported I’d died with my birth mother. They kept everything hidden from you because your birth mother wanted you to have a peaceful life. And that kind of peace... only comes from ignorance.”

“My mother?” I whisper. “Mom knew my real mother?”

“She did. Your birth mother was her sworn sister the second one. When you were found, they didn’t know at first. But eventually, they noticed. They secretly reached out to the Shadow Queen. She ordered them to continue raising you quietly because things hadn’t stabilized yet. She was the one watching over you. She sent training materials for both of us before she passed.”

I place my hands over my ears. I don’t want to hear more. Not yet.

“Wait... so our adoptive mom and our biological moms were sworn sisters... with different fates?”

“Yes,” he says solemnly. “You were kept in the dark because your mother wished for it and made sure of it before she passed as well our parents usually allowed me to sneak to the demon realm and check things out that was when I stumbled upon Draven and his whole plan and operation I had informed my parents and we were already discussing counter measures that was three days before that incident, you were still so young we didn’t want to tell you so much and involve you so much into the cruelty of the world, but they loved you our parents and even more your mother, they only hid everything from you out of that love and I was only told because as your mother wanted you to live in peace my mother wanted me to help her soul find reverend peace and make the people who killed her unjustly suffer their due consequences”

“Why didn’t my mother ever come for me herself?” I ask, voice trembling. “Why didn’t she tell my brothers or father that she knew where I was?”

“I don’t know. But she guided us, always. I’m indebted to her. If not for her quiet guidance, I would’ve died at the hands of Hollow Thorne, if not for the skills she had previously helped me learn.”

“Everyone has met her. Everyone has something to say about her. Except me.” My chest burns. “How is that fair? Did anyone even ask me what I wanted?”

I stand up suddenly, unable to breathe through the weight in my chest.

“I need time,” I murmur. “Sorry.”

I ignore his calls as I walk out, my thoughts a whirlwind. I go back to my room and sit in silence until a soft knock sounds at the door.

“Hey, Riri,” Alira says gently.

She pats her lap and I don’t even hesitate. I rest my head there, wordless.

She says nothing either. Just hold me.

“They knew each other,” I finally whispered.

She waits.

“My adoptive mom and my birth mom. They knew each other. My mom oversaw how I was raised... in secret.”

Alira stays quiet, but her hands freeze on my hair. She waits for more.

I tell her everything Torven told me.

“How do you feel?” she finally asks.

“I felt deceived. And the more I learned, the angrier I got. I couldn’t even ask more questions. My head just... stopped working.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“Yes. But not to Torven. I want to go to the private throne room. I want answers. I want to know how my mom died.”

She nods and rises to gather the others.

I walk slowly to the private throne room. My heart races with every step. When I open the doors, I see them: my brothers, Ryden, my father, Torven, Alira... all seated.

I freeze.

Alira comes to me, takes my hand, and leads me to my seat.

I look at my father.

“Father,” I say. “How did Mom die?”

He goes silent.

“Miri, why are you?”

“Please just answer me father I need to know” then I instantly repeat what torven have told me and ask him to tell me one more time.

Then: “Your mother was the strongest warrior in the Shadow Empire. She often left the castle alone, no guards, no questions. That’s probably why no one knew she was going to the human realm... to see you.”

My breath catches.

“She died five years before the incident. When you and Aeren were nine, if my calculations are correct.”

He swallows thickly.

“She was burned... sliced... tortured. Her body was barely recognizable. We only found her three days later. When it was taking too long for her to return cause she after all used to stay out for a day or two, I couldn’t let any of you see her like that.”

Tears stream down my face as he speaks.

“I’m sorry for hiding it, but your mother was a strong and lovely woman and each day it eats me up that I could still never find the one responsible for her death, I guess I was also ashamed of myself that was why I could never bring myself to speak about her”

he stands up and walks towards me and gently wipes the tears I didn’t even know I had shed

“your mom loved you deeply and she would be so happy to see her daughter is such a strong resilient woman who has her own beliefs and sticks to them, that was her whole trademark”

he says with a laugh the tears he has obviously been fighting back threatening to fall he then turns to alira

“she would have loved you too, our little firecracker”

he touches alira’s face before continuing to speak

“and she would have wholeheartedly accepted you as her daughter and made you know what true maternal love really is she might have personally redecorated your room for you and she shares your little shopping addiction so the bond would truly blossom”

he laughs at the end once more the tears finally slipping and even alira cries a little as well before my father stands up abruptly

“I need a little time alone please”

He walks out without another word and so did my brothers who have been quiet throughout this whole ordeal and then torven and then Alira as well

But I stay.

And so did Ryden.

He walks to me, taps the center of my forehead. “A penny for your thoughts?”

“What?” I ask, confused.

“I heard it once in the human realm. Did I use it right?”

I laugh. “I think so, I don’t know the actual correct saying, but I think that is correct.”

“How do you feel?”

“I think... everything’s connected. And I think Mom’s watching me.”

“She is,” he says. “Everyone’s heard of the fearless Queen of Shadows... and now, her even more fearless daughter.”

He flicks my nose again.

“Didn’t you sneak out of your Empire?” I ask.

“I did. I came to check on you. You’re my priority.”

“You’re not immune to their control,” I say. “What if we have to fight?, or what if we find ourself against one another”

“I’ll never harm you,” he says seriously. “I swore to love you. And I meant it. I’d die before I hurt you.”

“If such a day does come I will willingly take my life rather than cause you harm or worry”

He says so earnestly that I feel scared.

“Why?!”

“Because from the day I promised the heavens and the earth that I will love you, my life stopped meaning anything to me, if I could give it to make you smile a day longer or to laugh a day longer I would happily do so and if I have to live, to suffer in agony for you, I would do so without problems, Miri you are my world, my life, my paradise and my peace so I would never stand against you but I would break the path of whoever dares entertain the idea.”

My cheeks flush.

“I was just asking casually,” I mumble.

I touch his forehead and channel energia. “This’ll help protect you from control. You’re more useful alive.”

Then I bolt before I die of embarrassment.

I head to Alira’s room. Something felt off about her.

“Ali, can I come in?” Silence.

“Ali?” Still silent.

I walk in.

She’s sitting at the edge of her bed, staring blankly.

“I thought of them today,” she whispers. “The ones who hurt me. I wonder if I would’ve cried for them... if they’d ever loved me.”

“I wonder if I would be like you crying over their memories and looking for any legacies they might have left behind”

She looks at me.

“Miri, am I a bad person?”

I hug her tightly.

“No. You’re not. Never feel guilty for not mourning your abusers.”

“Never feel bad for not missing the people who made your childhood hell and haunted your freedom, even if they were rotting in the depths of the hell, they wouldn’t dare expect that from you, so never believe you are a bad person or ever doubt yourself.”

She nods into my shoulder.

Then Aeren bursts in.

“Miri! Alira! Hollow Thorne... they’ve issued a letter of war.”

He pants.

“Every empire has joined. It’s all of them... against the Shadow Empire.”