Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Chapter 242

The words were so crooked and difficult to decipher that Carissa had to spend a long time making sense of them.

When she finally figured them out, she looked up at Ryan with swollen eyes, tears streaming down her face once more. The words felt like daggers piercing her heart, causing her to curl up slightly in pain.

In the days before the massacre, she had returned to Northwatch Estate and discussed the Victory Pass battle with Melanie, who was worried about Dominic. She feared her father might meet the same fate as her husband and sons. Carissa had tried to comfort her, but her own anxiety about her grandfather and her concern for her mother was palpable.

Outside Melanie's courtyard, Carissa had bumped into Ryan. He had lifted his small face and asked his aunt if she was unhappy.

Carissa had smiled and ruffled his hair, saying, "I'm a little bit unhappy, but I'll cheer up soon. Don't worry, Ryan."

At the time, she had been preoccupied with her own worries and had given a somewhat dismissive answer. Perhaps Ryan sensed her unhappiness and thought buying her candied apples would lift her spirits. During the year and more Carissa had spent waiting to marry after returning from Meadow Ridge, she had primarily spent her time playing with the children, trying to bring them joy and alleviate their fear of losing their fathers. As a result, her nephews and nieces were very close to her.

Ryan had been five years old then, old enough to understand the gravity of the situation. He saw his grandmother and mother crying all the time, and knew his father was dead. Being smart and sensitive, he had become very dependent on Carissa and was especially close to her.

clearly exhausted, so Carissa suggested he take

of how he

slipped out at noon. Afraid

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Chapter 242

his mother. Ryan had then crawled through a dog hole

Sunny had only recently been brought into Northwatch Estate. Yvette had planned to make him Ryan's

them to Valor Estate for Carissa when he was struck on the

had been captured by

frightened by threats and dared not resist, but Ryan had fought back

had three possible fates: becoming beggars, being trained as thieves, or, for girls, being sold to brothels. That day, Ryan's

given a drug to all except the girls to render them mute. Some of the older children, who were literate, had their fingers smashed to prevent them from writing or reading, as beggars