Kaya
Magnus's voice pours into me like warm honey, steady and grounding, even as the story he tells is horrific.
The Moonrise Kingdom. Dirty wolves. The palace. The uprising. A name I've never heard before.
"Does it mean—" I begin, though the words stumble out, my thoughts scattering in every direction.
"Yes." Magnus cuts in, his tone firm as he gives a sharp nod. "Your real name is Layleen Amaris, and you are the last princess of the Moonrise Kingdom. Your mother and father were the queen and king, while your older brother, Adrian, was the crown prince, destined to inherit the throne.
When I first saw you back in the Diamond Claw, I was so stunned I could hardly stop myself from calling you by your true name. I was overwhelmed with relief—overjoyed that you were alive. I could hardly believe my own eyes."
My hand shoots out to clasp Magnus's, desperate to anchor myself as the world spins wildly in a storm of realization.
It's too much.
