Mag-log inLucien's POV Alice glared at me. "I am going to become Evander's second wife one day," she said. "I still need Princess Liora's help to make that happen."I looked at her for a moment, sure I had misheard."Say that again.""You heard me," she shrugged, and there was a confiden
Lucien's POV The answer was yes. I understood completely. I had understood completely for longer than I wanted to admit, and understanding had not been enough to make me do the right thing at the right moment. That was the torment of being the kind of man I was. Clear enough to see the damage. Not strong enough, at the crucial moments, to stop causing it.I picked up the IOU from the desk one more time and looked at Astrid's signature then I went to her room.
Lucien's POV I had been staring at the same report for twenty minutes without reading a single word of it.That was where I was when the knock came. Sitting behind my desk in a study that had not felt like mine for longer than I could honestly account for, pretending to work, pretending the house around me was not in the state it was in."Come in," I said.
Ravena's POV When the gate was closing, I heard the scrape of something on the ground half a second before I realized what it was.Suddenly Celeste was in front of me.She had moved without thinking and threw herself sideways before the rock had even left Astrid's hand. And the rock hit her square across the cheekbone with a sound that turned my stomach. She let out a short, sharp sound and staggered, her hand flying to her face."Seize her," I immediately ordered, and my voice came out in a register I didn't entirely recognize. The kind of voice that doesn't need to be raised to be obeyed. "Bring her inside. Now."The guards moved before I even finished speaking.Astrid had not run. She was still standing in the road, her arm extended from the throw, her expression shifting through several things very quickly. Boldness first. Then the realization of what she had just done. Then, as the guards reached her and she felt their grip close around her arms and understood that I was not sen
Ravena's POV "You did not care enough to find out," I spat. "That is the same thing."I let that sit for a moment before I crouched down in front of her so we were at the same level, and I looked her directly in the face."And on top of everything," I whispered, "you let your jealousy consume you. For years. Constantly targeting me. Constantly pushing at me over Lucien, as though that man was the center of everythi
Ravena's POV Astrid opened her mouth to argue, but I didn't let her.My hand suddenly connected with her shoulder and I shoved her hard. She went down to the floor with a sharp sound that rang through the receiving room like a statement.The maidservants standing by the walls froze in place.
Ravena's POVFor the first time in a long time, I slept without feeling burdened by the weight of the past.The morning air seemed softer than usual. The pain in my chest wasn’t as heavy, and when I opened my eyes, the tent didn’t feel like a prison anymore. I breathed in slowly, the cold biting my
Ravena's POVAstrid claws were extended, yes, but there was something else.In the fading light, a sharp flash of silver caught my attention, and my eyes locked on it immediately. It was a dagger. Small, curved, and shining with a sickly green tint that made my stomach twist.My wolf snarled inside
Evander's POVI stood at the far end of the training ground, arms crossed, boots planted in the dirt. The wind was dry, carrying the scent of sweat, leather, and pride too thick for its own good.My eyes were locked on Ravena. She looked calm, but I knew what was about to happen. The soldiers who h
Evander's POVAstrid’s silence didn’t last as usual.Her lips curled into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She tilted her head and stepped forward, like the weight of her fear had suddenly vanished.“Of course,” she said with a bitter laugh. “Of course, you would protect her. She is your l







