Draven.
For a moment, I considered letting my mother hold on to her fantasy—that Meredith was a goddess. It was a harmless belief, one that seemed to bring her joy. But the words left my mouth before I could stop them.
"She's no goddess, Mother." I exhaled slowly. "She was cursed by one."
Her brow furrowed, and the warmth in her black eyes dimmed slightly. "Cursed?" she echoed, her fingers tensing against the folds of her dress.
I nodded, watching her closely. "By the Moon Goddess herself."
The frown on her face deepened. "And what did she do to deserve such a punishment?"
I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms across my chest. "That," I said, voice steady, "is something we will have to ask the Moon Goddess."
The moment the words left my lips, something in my mother snapped.
Her face twisted in fury, her lips curling into a snarl. "Randall was cursed too!" she spat, her voice rising, sharp and full of venom. "That's why he locked me up in the dungeon!"
I stiffened.
