LOGINThe Third Pov
High-ranking officials from every major territory were in the grand hall, their fine clothes and jewels glittering under the chandeliers.
This was more than a celebration. This was a display of power. Of hierarchy. Of who mattered and who did not.
At the head of the room, seated beside King Alaric and Prince Evander, was General Ravena. Her posture was straight, and her expression composed. She looked like she belonged there. Like she had alway
Evander's POV I had not meant to eavesdrop.I had only come to check on them. That was all. Just a quiet check before I retired for the night, making sure the door was secure, that Erik had settled, that Ravena was not sitting alone in the dark the way she sometimes did when the grief crept back in and she thought no one noticed.But then I heard her voice through the cracked door, and I stopped.
Ravena's POV In the days that followed, whenever Evander and I were in the same room, Erik would immediately position himself between us.If Evander tried to sit beside me, Erik would squeeze into the space, using his small body to create a barrier.If Evander reached for my hand, Erik would grab it first and hold tight.If Evander spoke to me, Erik would make those broken sounds, drawing my attention back to him.It was constant and relentless. Almost comical if it were not so heartbreaking.Evander noticed, of course. How could he not?And being the perceptive man he was, he changed his approach.He stopped moving with the commanding presence of a general and stopped filling rooms with his alpha energy.Instead, he became gentle and… soft spoken. Almost scholarly in his behaviour.He thought it would help. Thought Erik would feel less threatened.But it had the opposite effect.Erik became more agitated and fearful.He would stare at Evander with wide, terrified eyes. Like he was w
Ravena's POV I held Erik, my tears soaking into his hair."I'm so sorry," I whispered over and over. "I'm so sorry. This is my fault. All of it."Erik pulled back slightly and looked at me with those haunted eyes. Then he shook his head and reached for the paper and the brush again, his hand still trembling from exhaustion.
Ravena's POV After our discussion, Evander sent for a physician.An older man arrived within the hour, carrying a worn leather bag, and moving with the calm efficiency of someone who had seen everything.He examined Erik thoroughly, checking his injuries, his leg, his throat, his overall condition.
Ravena's POV We rode without stopping. Without rest. Without mercy for ourselves or the horses.The journey to Ironhold would normally take a full day. But we covered the distance in half that time.By the time the city walls came into view, the horses were lathered with sweat. We were exhausted, but none of that mattered.
Ravena's POV Evander's words broke something inside me.All the grief I had buried. All the pain I had locked away. All the guilt I had carried for years.It all came pouring out."My brother," I gasped between tears. "He might have left someone behind. A son. His fle
Lucien's POVThe marble steps leading up to the palace felt colder than the morning. Astrid, clad in a white cloak, walked by my side with her chin held high and her eyes sharp.As we passed through the bronze doors and entered the throne hall, we saw guards stationed along the walls and the King s
Ravena's POVI felt a flush of heat creeping up my neck as I remembered that Evander didn't know that Lucien and I were already divorced, and that he had married another.Swallowing the truth, I raised my chin. “Fine, I won't be caught off guard.”"Very well," he said firmly. "Stay focused on why y
Ravena's POVEvander didn’t move or blink. He just stood there, holding his cup in one hand like it weighed nothing.“Did Lucien ever treat you badly, Ravena?” he asked again.I swallowed hard, torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to scream. I felt too seen, like he had found out something I h
Lucien's POVThe chandeliers in the grand hall burned bright, but the light felt cold on my skin. Dressed in a black tailcoat with a tight collar, I stared at the white flowers that lined the aisle.It had been two weeks since Ravena left. I had hoped anger would toughen me, yet all I felt was a du







