CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN - THE MATRIARCH’S FUNERAL

Karina moved through the hushed halls of the Manse, her footsteps seeming to echo across the ancient stones. A somber pall had descended over the entire estate since that fateful night, a silence so heavy it seemed to physically weigh upon her. As she neared the grand courtyard, the sounds of muted activity reached her ears. Gwen's deep rumble mingled with the gentler tones of Nancy and Zaya—the three sisters making solemn preparations. Karina paused in the shadowed archway, her breath catching in her throat. In the center of the sunbaked flagstones lay Lady Becky, resting with inscrutable dignity upon a bier of intricately carved wood. Pale wildflowers had been strewn across the linen shroud covering her still form, a vibrant splash of color amidst the muted grays and blacks. The sight struck Karina like a physical blow, the reality of Lady Becky's absence suddenly crystallizing in her mind's eye. Gone was the indomitable force, the imposing matriarch whose piercing gaze could ef