She nearly drops her utensil. "Your mother?" she repeats, her eyes wide. "There's...a chance that she is alive?" The last time they had talked about his mother was when they were both imprisoned in the crystal caves. By the way he had spoken, it had sounded like she had been killed.

That had been what had hurt the most about his betrayal that day. Because they had formed a connection, and for a moment he had become more than an enemy.