Isabel sat under the tree, her hands clasped tightly together, her gaze fixed on the ground. The story she had just recounted hung heavy in the air between her and Arya. For a long moment, Arya didn’t say anything. She stared at Isabel, her heart a storm of emotions she couldn’t quite name.

Pity. Anger. Confusion.

Isabel’s voice broke the silence. “I took care of Adriana as best as I could. I watched her grow, guided her, loved her… but I never told her the truth. I couldn’t bear it. I was her mother, but I had to act like I wasn’t.”

Arya’s throat tightened. Despite herself, she felt a...