Your parents are dead....

Emilia felt the words hit her like a sharp blow, sinking into her like stones. Her parents. Gone. The world around her blurred, the colors of the garden dimming until they were barely more than muted shades. She struggled to stand, to find her balance, but her legs faltered beneath her, and before she knew it, she was sinking down to the ground.

In the periphery of her vision, she could see Raymond standing, his voice rising in urgent questions directed at the guard, but her mind only managed to catch pieces of what was being said.

“...poisoned…” the guard was explaining, but Emilia’s senses seemed...