Shady

She nodded glumly, voice small. “I never knew about War Lord Ainsley until today… as my family I mean.”

She curled into an even smaller ball. “… the man I thought was my father…” she wiped her face as more tears fell. “Wasn’t. He adopted me too. And never ...

She wiped at her face then wrapped her arms around herself tightly. “… they’ve been lying to me my whole life… apparently my birth family sucks, too.”

She shook her head. “They’re awful, too.”

“It’s good.” Talia nodded as well. “… very different. But good.”

Ky basically disappeared she shrank so much, nodding.

“Yes ma’am.” Talia nodded. “The green bread, right?”

She nodded glumly, wiping her face again.

“Oh.” She nodded. “Well… that’s good at least. It’s very nice.”

“No.” She wiped her face, shaking her head as guilt stabbed through her. “I… I didn’t mean that…”

“Here we are.” She wiped her face, finally picking up her head. She looked miserable. She was miserable.

“Well it shouldn’t,” she said miserably, sniffling.

“And yet I’m still suffering for it.” Her words were muffled and weak.

“Then the soldiers never could have taken me.” She buried her face in her arms.

“I… wish…” her voice hitched. “I would have hid better.”