Evelyn was still lost in her overwhelming mix of joy and sorrow. She clung to Isaac's sleeve, her gaze greedy as if she couldn't seem to get enough of him. Her tears never stopped.
"Can you forgive me, son? I truly didn't know... I've avenged you, I swear. Please, forgive me, won't you?"
Isaac was silent for a long moment before he finally shook his head.
"Madam Prince, Seraphina is dead. However, he didn't die in that fire. Not long after he was sent to Gravelstone Peak, he was tortured to death. Reverend Lazarus made him do backbreaking work, and he was beaten and abused. In the end, he was left to die. He was thrown out like garbage and devoured by wolves."
"That's impossible!" Evelyn's eyes widened in disbelief. "You admitted it before, so why are you telling me something different now? You're still angry at me, aren't you?"
Isaac pulled his hand back, his expression becoming calm. "I was a novice priest at the temple, the same as him. I was close to him, so I know what happened to him. But I'm not him."
"Look at your face…"
"Mother!" Zoey's quick mind seized the moment. "He's just my brother-in-law's friend. He's not my brother-in-law."
Evelyn looked at Zoey in confusion. But he was Seraphina!
Zoey turned to Isaac. "You should go for now. I'll come find you in a couple of days."
"You can't leave! You can't!" Evelyn desperately tried to hold onto Isaac, but Isaac had already stood and was walking away.
"Mother." Zoey gently pressed her hand on Evelyn's shoulder. "Don't force it. You know he's alive. Isn't that enough? You don't know what he's been through, or if he's holding a grudge. If you feel guilty, make it up to him. Transfer most of the family's assets to him. With time, he'll come around, and one day, he'll let it all go.
"The past can't be changed, and the dead can't be brought back to life. But as long as you know he's alive, even if you don't acknowledge each other, what's the problem? Isn't that better than thinking he was dead?"
Evelyn seemed to snap back to reality. "Right. I will make it up to him. If you're willing to agree, that would be even better."
"I don't know what will become of our family, but it will definitely be in turmoil. So, I cannot allow Isaac to be brought into this. Remember, Seraphina Prince is dead. The person who came tonight is merely his friend."
Caspian and Luna were stunned, their faces ashen.
"Can we not talk Oliver out of it?" Caspian asked, his voice filled with desperation. "We can ask him to cut ties with whoever it is before it's too late."
Zoey's expression darkened. "I've already tried. I had someone warn him, but he refused to listen. That woman... She's carrying his child now, and he's obsessed with her. Just recently, I received a letter from him saying he plans to take her as his rightful wife."
"What?!" Caspian jumped to his feet, fury evident in his features. "How could he? I'll go to the Southern Frontier myself and knock some sense into him!"
"Don't be rash. You can't go to the Southern Frontier," Zoey intervened sharply. "Be reasonable. After he sent me a letter about that, I stopped all communication with him. I haven't sent him any more letters or money."
Caspian and Luna were surprised that Zoey had already thought this through so thoroughly. No wonder she had seemed so troubled lately.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Her Graceful War Song
What happens to the other chapters, I've been waiting to read more of this story, the character's and the screening are fantastic, very intriguing story...
Next chapter please, what's happening...
Very captivating novel....
Both content and context are very intriguing, the writer style of pulling out characters in their unique ways are profound,I have recommended this book because it's very captivating...