Tear It Down

**Rhydian**

A suffocating wave of dark doubt dragged Rhydian under the surface the exact second his mother’s calculated words struck his ears. The air vanished from his lungs. The sounds of the packhouse outside the heavy mahogany door faded into a dull, distant ringing.

*She will leave you.*

He wanted to laugh in her face. He wanted to throw his head back and roar at the sheer absurdity of th