Novels by sbwrites96

Elara’s POV I stared at the impeccable specimen. To me, he looked nothing more than a demon, freshly out of hell, trying to test out its tyranny on lower mortals. Disgust curled deep inside my stomach!“Royal property, huh?” I repeated under my breath, my lips curling. “Are you actually serious right now?”The crack of tension in the air was suffocating. The men, my comrades,the ones I had just been laughing with—fighting with—were now on their knees, heads lowered like criminals waiting for judgment.For what?Touching me during training?“This is some next level shit,” I muttered, shaking my head.Dustan didn’t even look at me when he ordered the punishment.As if he was just making a passing comment. “Have them whipped.”My spine went rigid.His words reverberated inside my head. All of them, all those strong, well built men bent down so easily in front of this gimp.and by no means I was making fun of his disability.However he was definitely retarded- no soul, no humanity, no moral

Dustan’s POVI woke up later than usual.Not because I was tired,just unwilling to start the day.Last night lingered in fragments—uninteresting, half annoying. Nothing worth dwelling upon.Or so I told myself.A soft knock followed by the creak of the door interrupted my thoughts.“Good morning, young master,” Patricia’s voice came, gentle as always. I exhaled slowly and sat up as she walked in, carrying a tray.Patricia had been around longer than most people in this palace. Her wrinkled, sharp eyes, far too perceptive for her own good.She set the tray down with practiced ease. “I’ve brought your breakfast.”“Hmm.” I ran a hand through my hair, already reaching for my clothes. She didn’t speak while I dressed. Smart woman.But as I adjusted my cuffs, the thought came—casual, almost careless.“Where’s my wife?” The words left my mouth before I could even question why I was asking.Patricia paused.It was too long, I noticed.My eyes flicked to her. “Well?”She hesitated, fingers tightening s

Elara's POVI couldn't sleep much.Umm, honestly, not even for a second.I just lay there,staring at the ceiling,replaying everything. Over and over and over again like some cursed loop I couldn’t shut off.My entire life was playing backwards… then forward and then in a mess… By the time the sky started turning pale, I gave up. “Great,” I muttered, dragging a hand down my face. “First night in this palace and I already hate my life.”Romantic.I pushed myself out of bed, still in yesterday’s mess of a dress—wrinkled and ugly now, exactly like how my wedding was… “Step one,” I said to myself. “Coffee! Before I murder someone.”---The kitchen was surprisingly easy to find.And thankfully empty.“Bless whoever invented silence,” I murmured as I rummaged around until I found what I needed.A few minutes later, I was leaning against the window with a steaming cup in hand, taking slow sips like it was the only thing keeping me tethered to sanity.And then I noticed the training ground in th

Elara's POVI was expecting something grand.Or at least intimidating.Instead, when the heavy doors of the King’s castle opened and I was led inside, the place felt eerily empty.Not abandoned—but quiet in a way that made my skin prickle.No crowd was there waiting to mock me.No curious nobles whispering behind my back. No hint of any ceremony.Just… silence.“This way, my lady,” the servant muttered, not even bothering to look at me.Lady?Yeah, right,my new title. I followed anyway. The weight of my bridal dress and jewellery suddenly started digging too deep into my skin,with every step. The corridors stretched endlessly—polished floors, towering pillars, expensive paintings—but not a soul in sight.“Where is everyone?” I finally asked.The servant didn’t even slow down. “Preparations elsewhere.”The answer was useless,too vague! What a great start. We stopped in front of a massive door. He pushed it open and stepped aside.“Your chamber.” And just like that, he left.No husband in sigh

Elara’s POVI didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until my chest started hurting.The hall had gone dead quiet—like the kind of silence that pressed against my ears. The kind that told me something was about to go very, very wrong.And it did.“Lord Vale,” the attendant called out.My stomach dropped as a sick,twisted chill crawled up my spine.“Your ward, Lyria Vale, has been chosen.”For a second, I didn’t react or move.I didn’t even blink because my brain just refused to cooperate.Then I saw my father.And that’s when it hit hard.His face looked like someone had just gutted him alive.I had never seen my father cry but then I saw actual tears slide down his face in front of an entire hall full of vultures pretending to be nobles.That’s when the world snapped back into focus. “No!” I gasped because the name they announced, belonged to my little sister, step sister if I had to use the technical term. I didn’t hear the rest of it. Didn’t care about the fake “congratulations,” did