Fourth Arc (Thorns of The Black Throne) - 457. The Dark King Has Arrived IV
"She's suffered memory loss. Likely due to injury or trauma," Rose continued. "We've tried treating her. I've monitored her closely, but… she hasn't shown signs of full recovery. She recognizes little. Responds to less."
Angel finally stepped forward. He remained silent.
Rose nodded faintly in his direction and continued. "Sometimes, she shows signs of deeper trauma. Fear. Panic. She flinches at sudden sounds. Certain voices. I am… the only one she trusts."
The implication was clear.
Seraphine's smile didn't falter. But her fingers curled at her side.
Rose's gaze stayed steady. "She sees me as her sister now. Not just by title. But in her mind, her heart."
"I see," Seraphine said, too softly. "Oh, you poor thing." Her voice turned honey-sweet. "Mother will—"
Jane flinched again.
This time more visibly.
Seraphine froze.
Again.
Rose gently squeezed Jane's fingers, pulling her slightly behind her cloak in a protective motion that looked effortless, but was entirely deliberate.
Angel's eyes narrowed. Barely. Just a twitch of his gaze. But if you knew him, you'd know he was watching everything.
Seraphine cleared her throat. "Well," she said, her tone hardening just enough. "We're glad she's safe. Truly. The King will rejoice."
Angel finally spoke. "She will stay with us for now."
Seraphine turned her head. "Excuse me?"
Angel didn't repeat himself.
Rose answered instead. "We believe it's best. The palace might trigger memories, of course, but… it could also worsen her condition. She's stable. But fragile. For now, it's best she stays with us. Until she's ready."
Seraphine's lips pressed into a line that tried to be polite.
But wasn't.
"Of course," she said. "Come inside. Let us talk in comfort."
She turned.
But she didn't smile.
And Jane didn't let go of Rose.
Even when they passed through the golden gate.
Even when the guards tried to act like nothing happened.
Even when Angel's cloak brushed the marble tiles.
Even when the musicians started again, their music shaky, off-tempo.
Even when the wind changed.
Even then…
Jane didn't let go.
And Seraphine?
Seraphine didn't look back.
Because she didn't want to admit what she'd seen in Jane's eyes.
Fear.
Recognition.
And something worse.
Not of the palace.
Not of memory.
But of her.
The girl had returned.
But she hadn't come alone.
Not really.
She came with Euphorion.
With Angelus.
With the Red Witch.
And with the storm that followed them.
Because no matter how warm the fires in the castle burned…
The shadows just got longer.
Jane kept her head slightly tilted, her gaze wandering just enough to appear lost, curious, innocent, unfamiliar. But inside? Her pulse thrummed in her ears like war drums behind velvet walls. Every corridor, every tile beneath her boots, every breeze that carried the scent of lemonwood polish and wine… it called to her. Old memories wore new faces now.
She passed the eastern alcove.
She remembered hiding there. Once.
When the Queen screamed at the servants and threw a silver goblet at her head.
She'd ducked. Her friend hadn't.
A scar for life, rewarded with silence.
She didn't flinch now. Didn't show a thing.
Angel walked beside her. Calm. Untouchable.
And Rose?
Rose walked like a queen who didn't need a crown. She didn't speak, but her gaze slid to Jane every so often.
When the hall opened to the grand foyer, the staff were already lined up. Maids in pale blue silks with white collars. Butlers and chamberlains at attention. Guards with silver-crested spears. And just beyond the entry arch…
King Darius.
Stiff. Regal. Unsmiling.
Angel didn't bow. He didn't need to.
Instead, he paused, hand on Jane's back, and looked at the king like one might look at a locked vault. Evaluating how long it'd take to break it open.
Darius's fake smile cracked the moment he saw her.
"Jane," he breathed.
Her name sounded hollow in his mouth.
She tilted her head. Innocently. "Do I… know you?"
It was rehearsed. A thousand times in her mind. Said just right, gentle, not cruel. Not mocking. But it hit Darius like a sword to the gut. His jaw clenched, and the breath he took after was too sharp.
Rose stepped in.
"We found her not far from Euphorion's border," she said, voice even, professional. "One of our scouts recognized her. Her condition was… fragile."
Angel added, "There were signs of exposure. Faint scars. Some bruising. Possibly held somewhere, though she has no memory of how or by whom."
"She lost her memory?" Darius asked tightly.
"Yes," Rose said. "But she shows signs of trauma. Classic dissociation. She's comfortable only around a few of us."
"She sees me as her sister," Rose added.
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