Hushed Willows Sweet disaster

Her mother soothed her and Larkspur let herself be comforted, despite the lingering feelings of culpability. Tears continued to slip down her cheeks as she leaned into Harlyn again. "I love you, mommy," she murmured, hiccuping slightly. She felt the need to add, "I told Deirdre I would come stay with her." She felt her insides burn with even more guilt. She had betrayed her family first, then her best friend second, and she was ashamed. And she wanted to say it was because of the Ostregas that she couldn't keep her promise, though the truth escaped her in a pained whisper. "But Deirdre's friends with Skellige. She—she said he was a good wolf even after I told her what he did."

As a fresh wave of guilt and grief crashed over her head, Larkspur hid her face in the side of Harlyn's neck, clinging to her again. She had done wrongs and wrongs had been done to her. The last month had been confusing and harrowing. She was glad she could remember everything now but the burden of knowledge weighed heavily on her too. Spur was happy to be home but knew that things would never really be the same. A lot of damage had been done in these dog days of summer.