Chapter 83

Seris’s POV

Queen Valeria.

The name itself felt like a knife to my chest. My heart thundered beneath my ribs, its rhythm erratic as a surge of adrenaline rippled through me. My hands shook, my legs threatened to buckle, and every nerve in my body electrified as I stared up at her in confusion, fear, and disbelief. Should I flee? Should I demand an explanation for the questions burning on my tongue? Or should I force myself forward and strike her, this woman who had molded me, trained me, and become the closest thing to a mother I ever knew? The betrayal cut deeper than any blade.

My mind raced, torn between disbelief and horror. All my life I’d called her Mother in my thoughts. She had been my mentor, my confidante, the rock upon which I built my confidence. When I wavered, she steadied me. When I doubted, she raised me to stand tall. Now, as she glared down with cold, merciless eyes, I realized that everything I believed might have been a lie—an elaborate f