TOOAFP Chapter 89: Portrait of a Princess (2)

"My lady…?"

The candle in Alryosha's hand wavered as its light found Kasha's face.

Her deep pink eyes were burning with a clarity that was, in that moment, entirely without warmth—pure and sharp as cut glass, lit from within by focused anger. Alryosha's breath trembled with something like awe. She had seen that same quality in those eyes once before, in another face. But the last descendant of the Gilesus line had no patience for reverence.

"Alryosha. You've been deceived."

"W-what are you saying, my lady?"

"I had no idea until tonight that the magic stone belonged to the royal family. Don't you understand? They stole it from you by using my name. They needed someone of the bloodline to break the seal—that was all I was ever for. Once they had what they needed from me, they would have discarded me without a second thought."

Looking back now, the…