The words echoed in my mind, cutting deeper than the injuries ever had. My cuts and bruises had been dismissed like nothing, as though my pain didn’t matter.
I stared at the papers on my desk, the words blurring together. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms. I didn’t know if the burn in my chest was jealousy, hurt, or anger.
Maybe all three.
No matter what it was, it left one thing abundantly clear: I couldn’t go on like this.
Days had passed since I last felt any semblance of peace. Bertha, the council’s senior healer and Kael’s primary caregiver, called me into her quarters today. The look in her eyes as I entered told me everything I needed to know, yet I clung to a fragile sliver of hope.
“Sera, I wish I didn’t have to give you this news,” Bertha began, her voice trembling. “But as Kael’s mother, you deserve to know the truth.”
My heart raced, and the mug in my hand trembled, the hot tea forgotten. “Just tell me,” I whispered, bracing myself for the blow.
Bertha took a deep breath, her face etched with sorrow. “Kael’s condition is deteriorating. The disease… it’s spread throughout his body. At this point, it’s no longer a matter of if, but when.”