Hector narrowed his eyes. "That village was burned to ash, thanks to your father's flaws in shutting down the rebels. No one survived but me."
Ren's grin faltered. As the carriage rolled deeper into the shadowed path, darkness spilled across her features, mirroring the heaviness in her chest. Lora had told her how terrible the situation was that night.
"Not only you," she said quietly.
Hector's eyes drifted to her, surprise flickering for a heartbeat before he masked it with indifference.
"Well… good for that person," he muttered. "Now you know a small fragment of my life. Just a piece of the ruin your bloodline left behind."
His voice snapped like dry twigs, and then fell into silence. It stretched long and awkward, the stillness broken only by the creak of wheels and the rustle of the curtains.
Finally, Kai reached through the quiet, not aloud, but with his thoughts, brushing gently against hers.
'How's your training with my father?'
Ren blinked, grateful for the lifeline.
