Although he had prepared himself for the flood of memories, the sheer overload of images and their emotional weight struck Owen so violently that he fell backward, abruptly severing the mental connection with his mother.

  When he lifted his eyes to her again, he was shaken to the core.

  She stood frozen, staring at him with a vacant gaze, her breath uneven, tears streaming down her face without pause. He realized that by delving into her memories, he had forced her to relive that pain. It was the first time he had ever seen her break down in front of him.

  His father had gone too far. Owen felt something snap inside him, his blood boiling in his veins. Never before had he known such fierce anger. He clenched his fists.

  Several moments passed without either of them breaking the silence. He feared she would refuse, out of terror, to let him come near her again. She seemed rooted to the spot, her tears still falling endlessly.

  Then, little by little, she came back to herself. She blinked and wiped at her eyes. Her breathing steadied as she drew a deep breath, forcing herself to regain her composure.

  Seeing her son still on the floor, she rose and sank to her knees beside him, gently wrapping her arms around him. A wave of relief washed over him.

  “Owen… what I just saw—you saw it too, didn’t you? Did you… did you search through my memory?” she asked.

  “Yes…”

  “Are you all right? You shouldn’t… you don’t need to see things like that. Don’t worry, I’m all—”

  “No, you’re not all right!” he cut her off. “I know Father is hurting you. But I had to be sure. Stop shutting me out. I can protect you, you know.”

  Such honesty left her staring at him in astonishment.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  So young, and yet he had seen through the mask she wore whenever he was around. She didn’t want to involve him—to protect him, yes, but also out of fear of what might happen to her if she did.

  “You’re such a good boy… I’m truly lucky to have you,” she said with a sad smile. “You’ve grown so much. But if he ever hurt you because of me, I would never forgive myself.”

  He thought for a moment before asking:

  “Tell me… why? Why are you afraid of me?”

  “I… no… that’s not what I meant… But… you look so much like him. Sometimes it feels like I’m seeing him,” she admitted, lowering her gaze. “I’m sorry, Owen. I love you. Truly, with all my heart.” She finished by looking him straight in the eyes again.

  “I know. I love you too, Mom. I don’t want to keep pretending anymore. I want to help you. I want him to pay.”

  A shiver ran through her. Was it fear of what lay ahead—or the determination in her son’s voice—that unsettled her? No one could tell.

  “You’re strong, Owen. Far stronger than I’ll ever be. You have extraordinary abilities. I’m proud of you. But don’t forget—you’re still a child. His Majesty… well, your father… is inflexible. He won’t yield as easily as he did last time. And you can’t always be here. I trust you, but you need to understand what he’s capable of. What do you think you can do against him?”

  “I… I don’t know yet. But now that I know the truth, I’ll find a way. I won’t let him win. I won’t let him touch you again.”

  She watched him quietly, her eyes full of tenderness, then sighed.

  “If you’re even half as stubborn as he is, I doubt I can talk you out of it, can I?”

  He shook his head. She went on:

  “In that case… promise me you won’t do anything unless you’re certain it will work. Promise me you won’t tell him anything about what just happened. And…” She hesitated. “If things go wrong… let me bear the consequences. Promise me.”

  He said nothing. He did not want to see her sacrifice herself for him yet again—but she would not relent. At last, reluctantly, he answered,

  “I promise.”