Adrian's POV

“On your knees!” Isla screamed at Evan as the little boy crashed his knees onto the bare floor, his head gently lowered, a tear sliding down his cheek.

“What did I do wrong?” Evan's quiet voice reminded me of Lyra’s intonation. I let out a small sigh, waiting to see what Isla would do to him before entering the room again to caution her.

Perhaps it was a joyful thing for her to oppress others or cause them sadness. It was even hard for me to watch the boy endure the ...