Oriana smiled bitterly, a ghost of old pain flickering across her features. If only Vladimir had stayed by her side during her times of pregnancy, if only he hadn't gotten upset when she decided to give her life for Voren's, he would have known all these things.
He would have understood the secrets she carried, the burdens she bore alone. But he hadn't. He had pulled away, and in doing so, he had missed everything.
Right now, her only way of getting back at him was not telling him directly. Let him wonder. Let him ache with curiosity. "Wait for the Blood Moon festival." Her voice was soft, almost gentle, but carried an undercurrent of steel. "The remaining pieces would all fit together then."
