bChapter /b57

“How’s everything going on the Mi ftiara’s voice was steady, but a touch of concern flickered in her eyes as the followed Prisca inte

Prisca sighed and shut the door with a soft click “Good. It’s a lot of work, trying to keep her out of trouble, but nothing I can’t handia” She paused. walking over to the fridge. “Want something to drink? Water? led tex

“Water will be fine, thanks” ra

ara settled herself on the couch, her posture rxed but her mind racing. She was already thinking several “You know, we could always just loss. Mi in jail and let her tot. No need for you to be tangled in her bmess /banymore.”

Prisca returned with two sses, setting one in font of ra before taking a seat beside her. A small, knowing smile curved her lips “No, don’t feel trapped. Actually, Heel like my fire’s been reignited. Can you imagine? Mi, begging for my forgiveness? That thought alone kept me going through some of the darkest moments of my life. T’m living that dream right now, and I won’t let it po

“But Mi doesn’t seem the slightest bit sorry for what she did,” ra observed, her voice fat, the hint of frustration in her tone.

“Oh, we’ll get there, Slowly,” Prisca replied, shrugging off the difort. “I’ve got time.”

Her voice softened, turning reflective. “You know, a lot of the nurses and maids here used to be victims of Mi’s. They’d help me in a heartbeat, get her back on track. But enough about that… what did you need me for today?”

ra ced her ss on the table and leaned forwardb, /bher expression serious “I need your help with something, it’s about a member of the Direstone

Pack… Trissb./b”

The second ra spoke the name, she saw it–an almost imperceptible flicker in Prisca’s eyes. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to catch ra’s attention. bShe /bleaned in, her voice lowering with curiosity. “Why? Have you heard ofher?”

Prisca frowned. “Yeah, but it’s been a long time.” She crossed her arms, her voice taking on a distant tone. “Did something happen to her?”

ra’s eyes darkened, “I think so. But Triss and her maids aren’t talking I have a feeling it involves Garron, the Gamma of Direstone.”

Prisca’s face tightened as ra ryed everything that had happened today. By the time she finished, there was a deep furrow between Prisca’s brows, her jaw clenched.

“That bastard,” she muttered under her breath, her fists tightening in frustration

ra stared at her, waiting for her to say more, but all she got was silence.

“As you can see, I’m not just here to help Triss. I’m here to help the whole Direstone Pack,” ra continued, her voice hardening with resolve. “We’re about to go to war with the rogues, and Garron well, we can’t let him lead us into battle. He’s got to be taken down.”

Prisca’s expression shitted, something dark shing in her beyes/b. “Trust me, no one hates the rogues more than I do.”

She gave ra a quick smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“And to banswer /byour earlier question, Prisca added, haning in sightly, “I do know what happened to Triss” ra sat up, her attention sharp

at made him trust her “Triss started out as a soldier in bGarron’s /bfather’s troopsb,/b” Prisca began. “Garron’s father–he saw something in her, someth enough to make her bcaptain/b. bShe /bwas good. Dams good. And not just in battle. A lot of girls would swak out during lunch to watch her train. She treated us differently than the others did. She was kind. A lot of respect for her, down there.b” /b

b“/bbSo/b, Triss was bGarron’s /bfather’s right–hand warrior, ra mused, piecing things together. That exined why Garron had trusted her so much he was leveraging her loyalty to hide his own dirty secrets.

“Yeah.” Prisca’s voice btook /bon a bitter edgy “And then Garron’s father died. Carron book over the troops… band /beverything changed.”

Prisca’s face hardened as she continued. “One night, a few of us were cleaning Triss’s room. She came back from training, all bloodied an

hair bwas /bba /bmess, lips swollen, and her clothes- the paused, her voice faltering. “Her clothes were then to pieces”

ra’s stomach dropped. Anger bubbled up inside her take a fierce storm. “Didn’t anyone try to expose what Garron did?

“Who would dare? We were servants, nothing more than tools to them,” Prisca replied, for voice low, almost hollow. “Triss couldn’t say anything, sither Garron’s father had been like a mentor to her, How could she use his son of something so horrific And Garron’s got power. People respect him. No one would have believed her.”

The weight of what Triss had been through settled in ra’s chest. Her voice was hard when she spoke. This has to stop. Now”

Prisca nodded in agreement. “I’m d you’re here, ra. Without you, I don’t know if anyone would’ve ever stood up to Garron”

A bitterugh escaped her. “It’s twisted. Mi framed an innocent woman for a crime the didn’tmit, while Triss–she was a real victim, forced to stay silent. The world’s screwed up like that.”

“And they’re all going to burn for it” ra said, her voice icy.

She stood abruptly, turning toward the door. “Thanks, Prisca, I’ve got work to do now.”

But before ra could leave, Prisca’s voice stopped her. “Be careful of the rogues, ra,” she bsaid/b, her voice trembling slightly. “They’re more bdangerous /bthan you think…especially their king”

ra paused, looking back at her. “bYou’ve /bmet the rogue king!”

Prisca’s face paledb. /bbShe /bseemed to shrink back at the memory, “Yeah. Once. At a party,” she said, her voice shaky. “I don’t even have the words for it. They’re barbaric, yes, but that… that was beyond anything I imagined.”

She shuddered, her breath catching in her throat. “You need the best warriors for this war, bra/b. You can’t go in half–assed. If you do, you love. And you don’t want to end up in their hands.”

ra nodded grimly, her thoughts already spinning. She couldn’t afford to waste time. But as much as she wanted to probe more about the rogue king Garron demanded her attention.

After setting another time to meet with Prisca, ra stepped out of the office band /bmade her way toward the training field, the sound of soldiers filing out already filling the bair/b.

As dusk settled in, ra shoved her way through the crowd, looking for Vessa. But her eyes caught Triss instead.

Triss was pulling a cart of training equipment, her hat pulled low to shield her face. She looked… defeated.

“Triss!” Era called, rushing toward her.

Triss froze, her eyes widening as she saw raing closer. bShe /brecoiled, taking a few steps bback/b. “What are you still doing here? I told you, we’ve got nothing to talk about.”

ra pushed forward, her voice firm “Triss=”

“it’s still about that ount book, isn’t it?” Triss bhissed/b, her bvoice /blow. “I’m not giving it to you if you keep bothering me, I’ll tell Garron, I swear!”

Faway, Triss flinchedb, /bher body trembling. ra had identally brushed bagainst /be

The arm, and

ra grabbed her arm before she could pull a Triss’s reaction said it all.

“Triss, I know what happened to you,” ra said, her tone firm but gentle. “It’s not right. It has to stop, right now

Triss’s eyes widened in shock. “How… How do you know?” Her voice trembled.

“It doesn’t matter how I found out,” ra aid, her grip tightening. “But you can’t let him do this anymore. Gamon’s Eather wouldn’t want this for you And if you stay quiet, who knows how many other girls he’ll hurt?”

b10.50 /bbWed/bb, /b30 bJul/b;

J

Triss hesitated, her expression tom. Then, she shook her head. “No. No way. Garron is too powerful.”

“More D

powerful than the Alpha?” ra pressed, her voice rising with urgency. “Alpha Thorne is with us. You’ve got support! This is your chance, Tr

Take it.”

“I can’t! You don’t understand! Triss cried, the fear clear in her eyes..

But before she could say more, a cold voice interpted from behind her.

“What’s this about?” Garron’s voice was smooth, dripping with mock amusement as he strolled into view, his arm casually slinging over Trice’s shoulder Owen trailed behind, grinning like a fool.

ra’s eyes burned with fury as Garron’s gaze flicked toward her. Heughed softly, twirling a strand of Triss’s hair around his finger. “Is someone bothering my Triss?”

bAD /b