When they reached the dining room, Myrna stopped at the entrance and said, “Mr., Mrs., your guest has arrived,” before disappearing down the hall.
Riona stood frozen in the doorway, her heart pounding in her chest. Her mother sat at one end of the long table, smiling softly, though her eyes betrayed a hint of unease. Her father sat at the other end, a wall of unreadable authority. The table between them was massive, seating at least ten people, yet it felt like there wasn’t enough space between her and him.
“Riona,” her mother said, her tone light but warm. “I’m glad you could make it. Come, sit down.”
Riona hesitated before taking the seat closest to her mother. She glanced at her father and forced out, “Good evening, Father. Thank you for inviting me to dinner.”
The words came out harsher than she intended, and she immediately regretted them. His cold eyes locked onto hers, and his face stayed still, unreadable. “Hello, Daughter. It’s been… what? Seven years? So nice of you to drop in.”
Her stomach twisted. “I’ve decided to move to Coill Dorcha,” she said, sitting straighter, though the discomfort under his gaze remained. “I met with Commander Kael to discuss a position in the Circle. I start in three days.”
Odhran didn’t move, his expression unchanging. After a moment, he waved a hand dismissively. “I am the final say in who joins the Circle.”
Riona’s jaw clenched. “I met with Commander
Kael—”
Odhran cut her off. “I saw the recommendation come through. What struck me as odd was the name. I knew you’d find your way to Lumora eventually, but the name listed wasn’t Byrne. Common, perhaps, but it wasn’t a coincidence.”
Riona stiffened, heat creeping up her neck, but before she could respond, her mother spoke up, her voice cutting gently through the tension. “So, Riona, tell us, where have you been? How have you been?”
The shift in topic was obvious, but Riona grabbed onto it. She turned to her mother, her tone softening slightly. “I’ve been with the Circle of Light for about three years now. I’ve worked my way up from cadet to officer to second lieutenant. Though, we don’t usually call ourselves by ranks. It depends on the region or the day, guardian, ranger, officer—it’s all the same.”
She paused for a moment, glancing at her father before adding, “I thought it was time for a change. It’s been too long since I’ve been home.”
Her father let out a small, humorless laugh. “I can see why you’d need a change. That’s ridiculous, the ranks, the informality. How do you expect anyone to take the Circle seriously if you can’t even keep the structure clear?”
Riona didn’t flinch, though her tone turned darker. “It’s what makes Lumora, Lumora,” she said. “The people there respect us because we don’t demand it. We don’t punish them for forgetting titles or ranks. Respect is earned.”
The table fell silent. Celeste reached over and gently placed her hand on Riona’s, giving it a soft squeeze. Her father said nothing, but his cold, piercing gaze lingered on her, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle he didn’t want to solve. Odhran continued, “Like I was saying, Riona, why wasn’t your last name on the paperwork? Who is Riona MacKenna? Did you marry?” His tone was flat, almost bored, as if the question annoyed him as much as having to ask it.
Her mother wore a look of confusion, her eyes searching Riona for answers. Riona looked at her mother first. “No, I didn’t get married…” She turned her eyes to her father. “I didn’t use my last name because I didn’t want to get into a position because of your last name, your position… I wanted to earn it myself,” she said, trying to sound convincing. But the real reason was that she wanted nothing to do with him, and she knew he knew that.
Odhran sat up straight, his face flickering with rage for a moment before he let out a bitter laugh. It wasn’t a joyful laugh, but one filled with anger and disbelief. “Isuppose it was admirable, Riona. But, daughter, it’s also a disgrace. A slap in the face. Do you know how it looks that I have a daughter in the Circle who refused our last name? That you went out of your way to conceal the truth? Do you have any idea how that reflects on me?”
Celeste looked at Odhran, anger flashing in her eyes. “Must we do this right now?! I haven’t seen my daughter in seven years! SEVEN YEARS! And you choose to pick a fight the moment you lay eyes on her?!”
Riona felt a sudden wave of shame, heat rising to her cheeks. Her mother’s voice, so stern and laced with sadness, cut through her like a blade, making her want to crumble. She turned to her father, nearly choking on the words. “I’m sorry for any disrespect it causes you, and I’ll say again to anyone who asks why I chose a different last name. I’ll tell them exactly what I told you.”
Odhran wasn’t buying it. The smug look on his face said he’d been waiting for this moment. “Riona…” His tongue clicked disapprovingly. “Tsk tsk… you know I don’t believe a word you just said. Please, don’t lie for the sake of this dinner. It’s distasteful.”
Riona felt her anger flare as she saw her mother ready to lash back. Rising to her feet, she snapped, “That’s enough! You’re right. I only came here to get this out of the way and to see Mom, not you. I could have done without you here.”
Odhran leaned back in his chair, laughing darkly. “There she is.” He chuckled again. “Don’t worry, daughter. I didn’t miss you either. You can leave whenever you’d like.”
Riona’s fists clenched at her sides. She wanted nothing more than to punch the smug smile off his face, but the sight of her mother—her hurt—had kept her grounded. The rage inside her twisted with sadness. She walked over to her mother, leaned down, and kissed the top of her head. Whispering softly, she said, “Good night, Mom. I’ll see you again soon.”
Without sparing her father another glance, she turned and walked away, her steps steady, her head held high. She didn’t look back.
Chapter 47
At The Cliff’s Edge
She reached the inn in Coill Dorcha, her steps heavy as the cold night air wrapped around her. She had already packed her things and left the inn in Frostfire earlier that evening, and now the streets of this new town were unfamiliar but quiet, offering her the solitude she needed.
The innkeeper gave her a polite nod as she entered, the warmth from the fire momentarily chasing away the chill in her bones. She didn’t stop to enjoy it, didn’t bother to meet his gaze. She climbed the narrow stairs, her boots scuffing softly against the wood, and pushed open the door to her small room. The space was modest. Just a bed, a rickety desk, and a single window overlooking the dark woods in the distance. She set her bag down on the bed and hesitated, her fingers brushing against the edge of the dark book tucked away inside. Her mind
wrestling with the weight of it, before quickly pulling her hand back as if it had burned her.
