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“You need to get up.”Gertha’s voice cut through the dark. The fire was dead, the room cold, and she was already pulling a lilac dress from the wardrobe, her movements brisk and efficient.“The Queen approved a visitor for you,” she said, not looking at me. “Someone from Ashen Ridge. You have one hour to get ready.”I sat up, my head thick from sleep, my limbs heavy from days of tension. “Who?”Gertha laid the dress on the bed and turned to face me. “You will see soon enough. Wash your face, fix your hair and do not keep them waiting.”She left before I could ask any more questions. I stared at the lilac fabric, my mind stumbling over possibilities.My mother would not leave the cottage – she had not left Ashen Ridge in years.Pilar would. Only Pilar would find a way to convince the Queen to let her visit.I pushed myself out of bed and washed quickly, the water cold against my skin. The dress fit well enough, though the sleeves were longer than what I was used to, and the fabric was
Lucian pushed off the wall and stepped fully into the corridor, his posture still relaxed, almost casual.Riven had already disappeared down the hall.The firelight caught the sharp edges of his face as he looked at me, and there was something in the way he watched me, something soft.“You handled yourself quite well in there,” he said. His voice was soothing, making Swift purr somewhere deep in my chest.“You think so?” I asked, shocked.“I think it was pretty clear, wasn’t it? Even a blind man would have seen it.”I blinked, caught off guard by the near-kindness. “Thank you.”“You shouldn’t be out here,” he said, “not right after the hall emptied. It invites talk.”My hands folded in front of the pale blue dress, the fabric suddenly feeling stiff again. “I was heading back to my room when I overheard you talking, and I decided to come say thank you.”A hint of confusion crossed his face. “For what?”“Really?” I laughed lightly, the sound surprising even me. “For helping me out with t
The hall held its breath after Lucian’s interruption, but Darkholme recovered quickly and nodded to a new speaker.The woman returned to her seat and an older nobleman rose from the northern benches, his reputation for knowing ancient law well established.Lord Veylan sized me up before speaking.“Ophelia Tyme,” he began, his voice formal, “consider this scenario. A lord dies without a clear heir. Two distant cousins both claim the title, each producing ancient documents that support their case. One has the backing of the northern packs, who are powerful but easily offended. The other has served the crown loyally for decades but lacks strong allies. How would you advise the King to proceed without alienating either faction?”The question was not in the book. I had read about succession, about the weight of documents and the importance of loyalty, but this was layered with politics, perception, and the delicate balance of power.My mind raced through various possibilities: a public hear
The recess ended quicker than I had expected and I walked back to the center of the floor while the nobles had resumed their seats.Darkholme remained standing at the high table. “We proceed. Ophelia Tyme will now field questions from the assembly. You will address each with the decorum expected of your position.”I inclined my head slightly. “I am prepared, Councilor.”A stout man from the eastern delegation rose first. His robes carried subtle embroidery of interlocking rivers. “In the matter of receiving a delegation bearing formal gifts, how would one balance acknowledgment of the offering with the dignity of the crown?”I kept my hands relaxed at my sides. “One expresses measured appreciation for the gesture while affirming the longstanding ties between the packs. A brief acknowledgment of the gift’s symbolism, followed by assurance that such contributions strengthen the realm as a whole.”He tilted his head. “And if the delegation seeks greater recognition than protocol allows?”
The morning came too quickly.I stood in the grand hall of the palace, dressed in the pale blue gown Gertha had laid out for me. The fabric was soft, the sleeves long, the hem brushing the floor.My hair had been pinned with care, a few loose strands left to soften the severity. I kept my hands clasped in front of me so no one would see them tremble.The hall was already full. Nobles filled the benches on either side. At the far end, the high table stood draped in white cloth, set with silver and glass.The Council sat behind it. Darkholme at the center, elder Zakira to his left and elder Torben, elder Obelix. The others whose names I had memorized but never spoken aloud.The King was there and the Queen sat to his right.No one was looking at me yet.I stood near the doors, a steward beside me. He had been assigned to announce me and had not spoken since we arrived."Wait for your name," he had said. I waited.The murmuring continued; a nobleman laughed somewhere to my left, a woman
"You should be in bed," Selene said as she entered the room."I am not tired." Aldric watched her cross the room, her night robe whispering against the stone floor. The Queen's hair hung loose over one shoulder, silver threading through the dark strands that caught the dying firelight. She stopped beside his chair and rested a hand on his shoulder.He loved seeing her like this, with the muscles of her face calm."You say that every night before something important," she said softly. "Come lie down, at least pretend to rest."He covered her hand with his own, his fingers warm against hers, and turned his head to press a brief kiss to her palm. "The trials begin tomorrow at first light, I keep going over it all; the challenges, the omega, our sons."Selene pulled up the low stool beside him and sat, their knees brushing. She kept her hand in his. "Then talk it through with me instead of staring into the blue like it holds answers. What is weighing on you most?"The King let out a long b
The tray held a bowl of porridge that had steam rising from it, a cup of water and a spoon, exactly as I had requested.The steam rose into my nostrils. Porridge was my comfort food, especially the way my mother prepared it.I tasted a spoonful, and a moan slipped from my mouth."Are you just going
It was dark and the moon was high in the sky when Kaelan returned. Silver Fang was asleep.He had been at the northern border since midday, inspecting the watchtowers and listening to reports of rogues testing the perimeter. Nothing had happened, nothing ever happened, however, his father insisted o
Gertha was waiting inside the entrance, her hands folded and her face as neutral as ever."My lady," she greeted and took my bag without asking, hefting it over her shoulder.Then she turned and walked down the corridor, her footsteps soft on the stone, I followed closely behind.The palace was so
"You are going to be late," Pilar said from the doorway, her arms crossed and her hair still wet from washing."I am not going to be late," I answered, "the carriage is not even here yet."My mother stood behind her, wiping her hands on her apron."You packed everything?" my mother asked. "Yes," I r







