Chapter 58: Forced Confessions.

BRAN

"That's not news, Maria, and that's not what I'm asking."

"I'll get there," the words came out hard and clipped, yet her tone was soft, cautious. "Can you just let me talk?"

Bran bit his tongue and told himself to shut the hell up and let her talk now that she was willing to.

But she was sitting on the other side of the room, far from him, and she looked so small, so vulnerable with her hands clasped on her thighs like that and he felt this strange urge to protect her even though there was nothing to protect her from.

"Okay, back to what I was saying..." Maria sighed and with her eyes fixed on her hands, started talking. "As you well know, my father is hated by a lot of people because of his abusive use of power. I really can't say how it started, I suppose he's always had a thing for being evil, but anyway, he wanted to expand far outside the realm of Sorceri. He already had lands, countless possessions, but his greed made him want more and when he goes after something, he does