Caden’s POV
I stood there for a few more seconds after she dropped that truth, or whatever it was supposed to be, and I tried to steady my breathing, but it was not working the way I wanted it to.
My head felt full, like too many things were crashing into each other at the sa ti, and I knew if I stayed in that room any longer, I might actually lose control.
So I forced myself to speak.
"You don’t want to leave, right?" I asked.
My voice sounded calr than I felt, but inside, everything was tense.
Daphne didn’t answer imdiately, but the look on her face was enough. She was not backing down. She was not scared of . If anything, she looked like she was waiting to see what I would do next.
I nodded slowly."Fine," I said.
I turned away from her without another word.
"Then you’re leaving no other choice."
She didn’t speak, but I could feel her eyes on my back as I walked toward the door.
"I won’t hurt you," I added as I reached the door, my hand resting on it for a second. "You’re still my sister."
I paused slightly.
"But Gunnar..." I continued, my voice lowering. "Gunnar can."
That got her attention.
I turned my head slightly, just enough to see her from the corner of my eyes.
"And you know what he hates the most," I said.
"Betrayal."
Silence filled the room again.
"I will tell him," I finished.
That was the last thing I said before I walked out and shut the door behind .
The mont I stepped into the hallway, I exhaled sharply.
My fists clenched imdiately.
Everything I had just heard replayed in my head again, and this ti it hit harder.
Daphne.
Our own sister.
The one who grew up with us.
The one who sat at the sa table, walked the sa halls, called the sa people family.
She had been working against us.
For how long?
And the worst part—
She had been feeding information to our enemies.
Just like her mother did.
My jaw tightened.
"And we didn’t even see it," I muttered under my breath.
We were so focused on threats outside that we didn’t notice the one living right inside with us.
I ran a hand over my face as I kept walking.
Everything felt wrong.
Nothing was adding up the way it should.
And then there was what she said about Gunnar.
I stopped for a second.
My chest tightened slightly."No," I muttered again.
That part didn’t make sense. Or maybe I didn’t want it to.
How did she even know that?
Either way, I couldn’t deal with that right now.
There were more urgent things.
My steps picked up again as I made my way toward Gunnar’s quarters.
The guards stationed outside straightened imdiately when they saw , but I didn’t stop to say anything to them. I just walked straight in.
The room was quiet.
Gunnar was still lying there, exactly where we left him earlier.
Unmoving.
Unconscious.
I frowned slightly as I stepped closer.
"This is not right," I muttered.
The sedative our mother used was not supposed to keep him out this long. It was ant to calm him down, not knock him out for hours.
I stood there for a mont, watching him.
His chest rose and fell steadily, so he was breathing fine, but sothing about it still felt off.
I turned slightly, about to leave and go find our mother, when I heard a small voice behind .
"Uncle Caden."
I froze for a second before turning around.
Sumr.
She stood there near the door, looking up at .
For a mont, I was surprised.
"When did you..." I started, but didn’t finish.
Before I could say anything else, she ran toward and wrapped her arms around tightly.
I blinked slightly, caught off guard by the sudden hug.
But then I relaxed and placed a hand gently on her back.
"You’re awake," I said.
She pulled back slightly and nodded."I’m okay now," she replied.
I looked at her carefully.
She did look better.
Stronger.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
She nodded again.
"I’m perfectly fine," she said.
I studied her for a second longer before nodding slightly.
"Good," I said.
There was a brief mont of silence before she looked past toward the bed where Gunnar was lying.
"Will Daddy be okay?" she asked quietly.
I followed her gaze.
For a second, I didn’t answer.
Then I looked back at her."He’ll be fine," I said.
My voice was steady, even though I wasn’t completely sure.
"He just needs ti."
She nodded slowly, but I could tell she wasn’t fully convinced.
Then she looked back at again."You know," she started.
Her tone changed slightly. More serious.
"Ever since my mom died, Daddy hasn’t been himself."
I frowned slightly."What do you an?" I asked.
She hesitated for a second, like she was thinking about how to say it.
"I an... he’s different," she said. "He doesn’t smile the way he used to. He doesn’t talk much anymore. It’s like sothing is missing."
I stayed quiet and let her continue.
"I don’t think any woman can replace Mommy in his heart," she added.
My chest tightened slightly at her words.
She was only ten.
But the way she spoke—
It wasn’t like a child.
It was like she had been thinking about this for a long ti.
"I thought maybe Riley could," she continued.
My brows furrowed."What?" I asked.
She nodded slightly.
"I thought maybe Daddy would start to feel better if Riley was around since she’s his mate as well as you all," she said. "But I was wrong."
Sothing about the way she said that made uneasy.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
She looked straight at .
"Because he’s not doing it for the right reason," she said.
A cold feeling settled in my chest.
"What do you an?" I asked again.
She didn’t hesitate this ti."He’s using her," she said.
My expression hardened imdiately.
"Sumr," I said firmly. "Be careful what you’re saying."
But she didn’t back down."I’m serious," she insisted. "He’s not with Riley or saving her because he wants her."
My heart started beating faster."Then why do you think?" I asked.
She held my gaze."He wants her to awaken Mommy’s soul."
For a second—
I didn’t react.
Didn’t move.
Didn’t speak.
I just stared at her.
"What?" I said finally.
She nodded like she was sure of what she was saying.
"He wants to bring Mommy back," she said.
"That’s not possible," I replied imdiately.
But my voice didn’t sound as confident as I wanted it to.
She shrugged slightly."That’s what he believes," she said.
I shook my head."How do you even know this?" I asked.
She looked at calmly.
"I’ve always known," she said.
That answer didn’t sit right with .
"What do you an you’ve always known?" I pressed.
She didn’t look confused. She didn’t look unsure.
She just looked... certain.
"I hear things," she said. "I see things too, Uncle Caden just like my Mom."
My chest tightened again.
"That’s not sothing you just say casually," I replied.
"I’m not saying it casually," she said. "I’m telling you the truth."
Silence filled the room. Then she added sothing that made everything worse.
"He’s going to take Riley to the Satyres," she said.
My eyes widened slightly."Sumr?" I asked sharply.
She nodded.
"That’s where he’s going to do it," she said. "To bring Mommy back."
Everything inside went cold.
Because if that was true—
Then Riley was in even more danger than we thought.
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