RONAN’S POV

I found Mother in her private chamber, the one she rarely allowed anyone to enter. The door stood ajar which to me was already a warning sign. Mother never left doors open.

"Mother?" I called, pushing the door wider.

The scene inside froze me. Blood speckled the hardwood floor. Ash dusted the surfaces like dirty snow. And Mother—always composed, always controlling—paced the room like a trapped animal. Her usual mask had cracked, revealing raw panic underneath.

Her head ...