(Nicholas)
I sat quietly in the back of the carriage, the wheels creaking as it rolled away from the castle. My hands rested on the arms of my wheelchair, my fingers gripping tightly, though I couldn't feel much from them.
I was still weak from the stab wound Elara had given me. The pain wasn't as sharp as it had been before, but the dull ache was a constant reminder of everything I had lost.
The guards flanked the carriage, though I knew it wasn't for my protection. It was more for appearances, to make sure no one tried to confront me before I was out of sight.
I couldn't bring myself to look back at the towering palace fading into the distance. That place wasn't mine anymore.
When we reached my parents' estate, the silence was heavy. They had spoken very little to me since the trial. The shame I had brought on them was clear in their expressions, in the way they avoided meeting my eyes.
