"I heard that Sterling is now going to Summit," Alina said to Kacy, who lounged in her bed.
"Oh, is he?" Kacy yawned, stretching her arms above her head.
"Yeah, and I assume you're the reason he wants to go." Alina gave her a playful wink.
"It's not like we're going on a date," Kacy rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "When you work for Lolita, you're not allowed to have a life outside the castle anyway."
Alina's smirk vanished, replaced by genuine disbelief. "I still can't believe Sterling had the balls to ask her. Seriously, Kacy—this is the same woman who will send you to the camps for missing a salute."
Kacy's smile faded. "How do you know that?"
"One of her advisors told me," Alina said, her voice dropping. "He said when she visited the military base, a soldier missed his cue. Lolita flipped. She barked at her guards to take him away, screeching about how he dared disrespect her by not saluting. No trial, no second chances. Just gone."
Kacy's breath hitched, her fingers digging into the bedsheets. "Felix was sent to that base," she whispered, a sudden wave of panic washing over her face. "He... he has a heart of gold, Alina. He'd never disrespect anyone."
"A heart of gold wouldn't have saved him from Technations." Alina looked away, her voice dropping. "If he fought against them, Kacy... he's just another casualty by now—"
"No, he's not dead," Kacy said sharply, her voice rising. "I saw him on the news. Why would you even say something like that?"
"Because no Intermariam soldiers came back from the war with the Technate," Alina said quietly.
"Yeah..." Kacy's voice drifted away, the defiance leaving her all at once. "Sterling told me about the casualty rates. I just... I wanted to believe it was a rumour. Mostly because I used to have a crush on a guy named Logan, and I couldn't bear the thought of him being gone."
"To Lolita, they aren't even men—they're just bad investments." Alina shook her head, her tone bitter. "She doesn't care that an entire generation was wiped out. She's just furious about the mountain of gold she sunk into an army that brought back zero return."
"It never sat right with me," Kacy whispered, her voice cracking. "The way she just drafted him. It wasn't fair to split our family up—especially after we already lost Dad after he had a seizure. Mom, Felix, and I... we were supposed to stay together.
"Keeping families together isn't exactly Lolita's style," Alina scoffed. "Look at my denied visa. I'm stuck in this castle while my family is in Ossory. You're not the only one who misses them."
"Yeah, but you chose to leave," Kacy said. "Felix didn't get a choice."
Alina's jaw tightened. "Spare me the 'you chose this' lecture. Must be nice to act superior when your brother was dragged away by force, and I'm just left missing mine from inside this gilded cage."
Kacy's expression softened, guilt flickering across her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just want my family back-"
"That roof is gone," Alina scoffed. "Your mom is dead, Kacy, and crying won't change it. But my family is still out there in Ossory, waiting for me."
"I still have Felix," Kacy whispered, her voice dropping to a sharp, jagged edge. "I just have to find him. I'm going to sleep, Alina. Tomorrow is a long day."
She shut her eyes, leaving only the stifling weight of the castle walls to fill the space between them.