Chapter 21: Whispers in the Night
The revelation of the masked figure's true identity hung in the air, a heavy truth that threatened to shatter Seraphina's world. She stared, unblinking, at the face before her, the face she thought she knew so well. It was a face etched with pain and longing, a face that mirrored her own inner turmoil.
"Brother..." Seraphina whispered, her voice barely audible. The word carried with it a mixture of disbelief and a profound sense of loss. How could this be? How could the one she saw as a brother stand before her wearing the mask of deception?
The Duke of North, Seraphina's trusted confidant, gazed at her with sorrow-filled eyes. "Yes, Seraphina," he spoke, his voice heavy with regret. "I am the Duke of North, your brother's loyal ally and friend. I have watched over you both, bound by duty and friendship."
