CHAPTER TWELVE

Prince Edon asked as they moved through the thick undergrowth of the Forbidden Forest, "What are you?"

Iana looked at him for a moment, contemplating her response. Her silver eyes sparkled with ancient wisdom and a touch of uncertainty. "I don't know," she finally answered. "I've lived my whole life within these enchanted woods. Gryvia found me as a young child, lost and alone. She took me in and raised me as her own."

Prince Edon nodded, absorbing the revelation. The forest itself had raised her, it seemed. He found himself captivated by the mystery that surrounded Iana. Her presence felt magical, and the forest seemed to come alive around her.

"How did you get here?" Prince Edon inquired further, curiosity getting the better of him. "I mean, I know Gryvia didn't give birth to you."

Iana's eyes flickered with a mixture of emotions. "My origins are a mystery even to me," she admitted. "Gryvia has never shared much about it, and I've never asked. She is my mother in every way that matt