Natalie~
"Mother?" I whispered into the silence, my voice trembling like a string pulled too tight.
For a breath, nothing answered. Just the heavy hush of the room, Zane's ragged breathing, and the faint flicker of candlelight dancing along the carved stone walls.
Then came the sound.
A soft, lilting laugh—like silver bells tinkling through mist. It was familiar, somehow—comforting and strange all at once.
"Oh, my child," the voice said with amused affection. "How could you so easily forget your mother's voice? I'm wounded."
I blinked, heart lurching against my ribs. "Wait… wait—what?"
A playful sigh echoed around the room. "Truly, I should be offended. My daughter doesn't recognize her own mother."
Jasmine stirred in my mind, alert and amused. "Oh, she's dramatic. That's one of the many reasons I love her so much."
