Lyra

I nodded because what choice did I have. "I'll tell you everything I know, but first I need to ask something."

"You're not in a position to make demands," the king said sharply.

"It's not a demand, it's a question," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "Is my mother safe? the Crimson Veil threatened her life if I didn't comply with their orders, they have ways of hurting her even from a distance and I need to know if she's protected."

Kael's expression hardened into something cold ...