Novel-novel oleh Loveth Nma Essien

Magnus’s POVI sat in my chamber. The silence was heavy. The fire crackled. It was meant to provide warmth. Tonight, the sound was just an irritating noise. I stared at the flame. I watched them consume the logs. Much like I intended to consume the throne of Blackwood.My thoughts were dark. Alaric is no longer the person I can control. For years, I carefully cultivated his rage. I fed his hunger for revenge like one feeds a starving beast. I needed him to be a tyrant. I wanted him to be hated. So when the time came, the coup would feel like a liberation rather than a betrayal. Now, his focus has shifted. He is obsessed with a ghost who fell from the sky.I had initially dismissed Elara’s warnings as the bitter ramblings of a jealous woman. I was wrong. I have seen it with my own eyes. Alaric is softening. He looks at that chef not with the eyes of a King. But with the eyes of a man who is finding peace. Peace is a luxury I can’t allow him have.A knock at the door disrupted my

Elara’s POVThe moon hung high over the kingdom of Blackwood. Its light brought me no peace.I sat alone in my chamber. The silk of my gown feeling like sandpaper against my skin. Every time I closed my eyes. I saw her. That ghost of a girl with her strange clothes. She was a rot in my garden. A weed that refused to be plucked. She was ruining everything I had spent years building.Alaric is changing. I can feel it in the way he speaks. The way he carries himself. Most dangerously, the way he looks at her. He is no longer the predictable tyrant I need him to be. A tyrant is easy to lead; you simply point him at an enemy and watch him tear them apart. But Alaric is softening. He is looking for "truth" and "justice" instead of the raw, bloody revenge. Revenge that would keep this kingdom in a state of chaos. If he finds out the truth about his mother’s death. He might not kill the people I need him to kill. He might actually think. And a thinking King is a King I cannot control.Thi

Alaric’s POVI couldn't watch her sob. It cut through me like a blade. This was not a servant crying over a broken dish. It is not a soldier weeping for a lost comrade. It was the sound of a soul being hollowed out. I could not bear to see her cry. She looked so small. She looked fragile. I left Cassian standing like a fool. I moved to her. I grabbed Sophie from the cold dirt. I pulled her up. Until she was steady on her feet.“Stop.” I said. My voice softer than I ever intended it to be. “I promise you. I will make sure I find the book that brought you here.”She looked at me. Her eyes red with grief. Her hands were trembling. She clutched the straps of her bag.“It is the only proof I have, Alaric.” she whispered. “Without it, I am just a ghost with no home.”“You are no ghost to me.” I replied. I held her shoulders firmly. “Go have some rest. You have worked enough today. I will send out the guards tomorrow in search of the book. We will scour every inch of this kingdom unti

Sophie's POV The steam of the final broth had barely cleared.Cassian entered the kitchen. He ignored the other chefs. His eyes found me immediately. The urgency in his posture made me a little nervous.“The Alpha would like to see you at the royal farm.” Cassian said. His voice was low. “He expects you as soon as your duties here are finished.”I wiped my hands on my apron. I nodded slowly. “I’m done now. I was just about to head to my quarters.”“Don’t keep him waiting.” Cassian advised. He turned to his heel.I headed for the farm. The night air was cold. Shadows stretched across the stone path. I smelled earth and horses. Alaric stood in the clearing. He did not move as I approached. I knew he heard my footsteps.“There you are.” Alaric said as he turned slowly.He kept his hands behind his back. His shoulders were stiffed. I paused a few feet away.“You called for me, Your Majesty?” I asked. I tilted my head. I tried to see what he was hiding. “Why are your hands behind

Alaric’s POVThe feast was over. I watched Sophie walk away. Her head held high. Elara had stormed out behind her. The air in the Great Hall finally felt thin enough to breathe. I turned to my uncle. Magnus was swirling the last of the wine in his cup. He looked satisfied.“You have a rare creature in that kitchen, Alaric.” Magnus said. “But we have more pressing matters than poultry. Tell me. How far have you gone in the case of your mother’s death? Have you found the ones who offended her memory?”I looked at him. I respected Magnus. He was the only family I had left. The one who did not try to steal my crown. I decided to speak with an open heart.“I am working on it Uncle.” I said. I leaned forward. “I have sent Eunuch George to find the truth. He is digging through the old records. He is looking for the names that were erased.”Magnus paused. His hand stopped moving. He looked at me with a calculating gaze.“Eunuch George?” Magnus asked. “He is a quiet man. A safe choice.

Sophie’s POVThe Great Hall felt like a pressure cooker. It was ready to blow. I stood there. I clutched my empty tray. The air hummed with the aftershocks of the meal. Lady Elara sat frozen. Her were knuckles white. She gripped the edge of the table. Elara looked at me. Her eyes told me I would burn. I looked back at her. My eyes told her she could do nothing. In my mind, I spoke to her. Go ahead and try Elara. You have no idea who you are dealing with. I am a girl from the future. I have seen empires fall. I've seen technology rise. I already know your every move. I will always win.The plate I served were empty. Elara stared at the Grand Prince. She wanted him to rule in her favor.The Grand Prince spoke. "No doubt." Magnus started.His voice echoing in the rafters. "The Chief Royal Chef is talented. This meal was... an experience. However, we must not overlook tradition. Elara captured what tradition truly means. It represents the stability of the Blackwood bloodline."He