Mother was pulling herself up from the ground. Her hair had come loose, and her clothes were streaked with dust.

I threw myself into her arms, shaking all over. Mother held me and gently patted my back.

Cedric walked over, his brows so deeply furrowed that they looked carved into his face. "Emmeline, why put yourself through this? The child is suffering with you. She'd be better off back with the Ashworth family!"

Mother did not acknowledge him. She simply held me, pressed her lips close to my ear, and whispered in a voice so quiet only I could hear. "Don't be afraid, Liara. Your father must have already noticed we are gone. He will come for us soon."

I nodded hard and buried my face in the crook of her neck.

Seraphina came over, cradling her bitten hand, her eyes burning with hatred. "That little wretch is just as ungrateful as Emmeline!"

She turned to Cedric and snapped, "Cedric, what are you standing there for? Take the child!"

Cedric stepped forward and grabbed my arm, pulling with force this time. I locked my arms around Mother's neck and refused to let go.

Mother held me just as tightly.

"Let go!" Cedric snarled through gritted teeth.

"No!" Mother's voice came out through clenched teeth.

Seraphina rushed in too and began prying Mother's fingers apart. Her nails dug into the flesh, and beads of blood rose on the back of Mother's hands, but Mother would not release her grip.

"Someone, help! Please help!" Seraphina suddenly cried out to the crowd of onlookers. "This madwoman stole my daughter! Please, help me get my child back!"

The crowd stirred.

A few people edged closer.

"That's terrible. The real mother shows up and she still won't give the child back."

"Someone should help. Look at how hard that poor child is crying."

Several men exchanged glances, rolled up their sleeves, and walked over.

Mother's face went pale. "Don't you dare! I am..."

Before she could finish, a hand was already on her shoulder. "Hey, the child's real mother wants her back. Just hand her over."

"Exactly. Stealing a child and acting like she's in the right?"

Mother tried to dodge them, but she was holding me and could not free her hands. Those hands pulled and shoved at her from every direction. Some grabbed her arms, others tugged at her clothes.

"Let go of my mother!" I screamed as I tried to kick and hit them, but I was too small. My strength was nothing against theirs.

Mother's forehead struck the wall. Blood ran down the side of her face. Her clothes were torn, and her hair had fallen loose around her shoulders, but her arms stayed locked around me.

Cedric seized the moment and wrenched me free with one powerful pull.

"Mother!" I was ripped from her arms and thrown to the ground.

Mother lunged for me like she was possessed, but the men held her back. They pinned her shoulders, grinning among themselves.

"Well, she's a feisty one."

"Easy now, easy. The child's going back to her real family. It's not like they're going to mistreat her."

One hand reached toward Mother's face. Another slid toward her waist.

Then, from the mouth of the alley, came the sound of boots hitting the ground in perfect unison. The clash of armor rang through the air, and torchlight blazed across the walls.

"The Royal Guards! It's the Royal Guards!"

The crowd screamed and scattered in every direction.

The men who had been pinning Mother down barely had time to react before they were kicked clean off their feet and sent crashing into the walls with cries of pain. A golden banner unfurled in the firelight. A royal carriage came to a stop, and a figure draped in gold stepped out.

Seraphina's hand went rigid at her side. Cedric spun around, the color draining from his face.

I saw that familiar face.

"Father!"