Her heart felt heavy, but her resolve didn't waver. She slammed the door shut with finality, cutting off her mother's voice mid-plea. She hardened her heart as she knocked against the wall for the driver to move.
"Go," she ordered, her tone sharp.
The carriage jolted forward, wheels grinding against the gravel. Outside, she could faintly hear her mother's cries fading into the distance, her voice weak and pleading—but Aria didn't allow herself to look back. Her fists clenched tightly in her lap until her knuckles turned white.
The journey back to the castle passed in tense silence. The streets were dark, lined with faintly glowing lanterns that flickered against the passing mist. Aria's reflection in the carriage window looked pale and strained, her eyes distant as thoughts raced through her mind like a storm she could not quiet.
