I paused. Let the story unfold — the story I had constructed from the original Caelum's memories and my own understanding of narrative. A story that was true enough to withstand scrutiny and false enough to serve my purposes.
"My maternal family," I said, and the words came slower now, weighted with the gravity of a history I was borrowing. "They were the House of Durren. One of the great duke families of the old kingdom."
Seraphine's eyes widened. Elwen tilted her head. Mirra's mouth fell open.
"The Durren family?" Seraphine's voice was sharp. "The Durren dukes? They were — they were one of the most powerful houses in the kingdom. They—"
