Marina continued, and I noticed she had not taken her tea cup from the small table since she had placed it there.
It sat untouched, the steam still rising from its surface, as if she had forgotten about it entirely.
Her hands were clasped in her lap, her fingers interlaced, and her gaze remained fixed on the distance as she spoke.
"She raised me and Deva in a human kingdom," she said, her voice carrying a weight that had not been there before. "I watched her toil for us both for many years. She worked tirelessly, sacrificing her own comfort and her own desires to ensure that we had everything we needed.
"She was a high-class courtesan—one of the most sought-after and respected in entire kingdoms. And because of her position, she had serious wars started out because rulers wanted her for themselves. Kings and princes and lords fought over her, waged battles and truly spilled blood, all for the chance to possess her."
