Caius could only taste ash as he ate lunch in the dining hall with his mother, Rylen, and the princess. He missed when Rose fed him by hand. He didn't think anything tasted better than food from her hands, and it had been delightful to have her fuss over him.
It was only during that period that she had treated him as someone who needed to be taken care of, not someone to fear, revere, or distance herself from. He missed Castle Catherine—the quiet of it, and the chance he got to spend as much time as possible with Rose. He could no longer do that here.
"Son," his mother called with a beaming smile, pulling him out of his dissociative thoughts.
Caius reluctantly lifted his head, hoping it wasn't a scowl on his face. It wasn't even half the day, and he was already sick of his "good son" act. He could only imagine that what she was about to say would gnaw further at his patience.
"Mother," he called back.
