Jay fell silent for a moment.
"The latter," he said at last.
She stepped closer, standing beside him. She did not touch Jay only shared her gaze with the closed door.
"What drove Liv to send you out?" she asked evenly.
Jay clenched his jaw.
"She found out about the state of the territory," he said quietly. "Everything we've never told her."
His mother nodded slowly. "And you still insisted she didn't need to know?"
Jay closed his eyes for a brief moment.
"I thought… if she didn't know, she'd be safe."
"Safe from what?" the Grand Duchess asked.
"From guilt," Jay replied. "From pressure. From fear."
She turned and studied her son for a long time.
"And now?"
Jay opened his eyes.
"Now she feels useless," he said softly." Like a burden. Like everyone trusts rumors and prophecies more than they trust her."
The Grand Duchess inhaled slowly.
"Jay," she said, "Liv is not a fragile girl you can protect with lies."
Jay bowed his head further.
