(Lina)
I leaned against the wall in my room, the door firmly shut behind me. My heart was still beating fast after the encounter with Edward and Mariana.
Their sudden return had completely caught me off guard, and I couldn't get rid of the tension their presence had created. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to settle my thoughts.
'That was unexpected,' I said to the system in my mind.
'Unexpected, but not surprising,' the system replied. Its voice was calm but cold like it always was.
'Why are they back now?' I asked. 'They've been away from the castle so long. They gave up everything after they handed the throne over to Nicholas.'
'They see an opportunity,' the system said. 'They will always take what is not theirs. Their son may have lost his crown, but they are looking for a way to reclaim power through whatever means they can.'
