Chapter 119: A Tangled Truth

The first was a woman whose bearing instantly declared her queen. Clad in supple black leather that molded to her petite frame, each seam and contour emphasized her trim waist and generous curves. She carried herself with regal confidence, her posture straight and flawless. Yet her face—heart-shaped lips, a pert nose—softened when she smiled. Her blue eyes crinkled kindly as they settled on me, and I felt a sudden warmth flood through my bones.

Behind her walked a little girl, slender and confident. Midnight-black curls framed her face and bounced over her shoulders with each assured step. Her crystal-blue eyes flicked from person to person, taking in every detail. Like her mother, she wore black leather, and I couldn’t help noticing the small knives strapped to her limbs—at her wrists, her calves, even at her hips. Two long blades crossed elegantly on her back, their handles peeking over her shoulders. For a child, she looked oddly fierce, bristling with dangerous energy that