509 Her Greatest Defender

Ashleigh furrowed her brows at her mother in confusion.

“You?” she asked quietly. “But… why would you do that?”

Corrine took a deep breath.

“To protect Winter.”

“I don’t understand….” Ashleigh whispered. “Winter isn’t under attack. So how is keeping Axel locked down here protecting it?”

Corrine clenched her jaw and looked away.

“There is more to winning a war than running headfirst into the fray,” she sighed. “You have always relied too much on the simplicity of a fight to solve your problems.”

“What?”

Corrine looked back at Ashleigh with irritation.

“When you were children, if you got into an argument with your brother, you always chose to spar to decide who was right and wrong. Then, as you got older, whenever you were questioned or made to feel inadequate by another person, your immediate reaction was to challenge them. To argue or fight with them about something you knew more about.”

Ashleigh clenched her jaw, turning away.