"Lady Riona, are you alright?" Astrid asked, her voice laced with concern as she panted beside me. "You ran away from the throne room. Aren't you happy that everyone now knows you're also the duke's legitimate daughter?"
I glanced at Kieran, feeling a maelstrom of emotions swirling inside me. I hid my face in his chest, unsure of how to respond. To the world, I might be Lucifer's daughter, but the truth was, I wasn't, and never would be.
Kieran's gentle voice cut through my turmoil. "Riona, it's okay. Lady Astrid is worried about you. Why don't you go with her to her room, and I'll take care of the rest?"
I looked up at Astrid, then back at Kieran, and nodded slowly. It was time to face my problems head-on, rather than running away like a coward. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead. "It's now or never," I whispered to myself.
