Mag-log inRising from the stairs, I headed to my room. The door clicked shut behind me, the sound echoing like the sealing of a tomb. My heart pounded in the silence, each beat a reminder of the chains I couldn’t see but felt around my soul. I sank onto the edge of the bed, clutching the sheets as the tears I’d been holding back broke free.Why did I agree to this?The question circled endlessly in my head, cruel and sharp. If this… this coldness, this silence, this humiliation was what Ashton meant by our union, then I would have refused. But even as the thought formed, a bitter laugh escaped my lips. I never had a choice. Refusing him would have been signing my own death warrant.I wrapped my arms around myself, rocking slightly, as if I could cradle my own heartbreak.A soft knock broke through the quiet. “Your Highness?” Lyra’s voice drifted through the wood, gentle and cautious.“Go away,” I whispered hoarsely, staring blankly at the far wall.“Please, Your Highness,” she tried again, vo
He simply nodded and looked away, dismissing my presence as though I were no more than a passing shadow.The hurt tore through me like a blade slipping beneath the ribs sharp, soundless, and unseen. I swallowed it, forcing my breath to stay even as I lowered myself onto the chair that's far from him .“His majesty, permits the dinner to begin,” the steward announced softly, and a ripple of motion spread through the table. Silver clinked against porcelain and voices murmured polite greetings.Lyra, stood behind me, still as a carved guardian. Her hands were folded neatly, her eyes tracing every subtle movement around us, though I could feel her worry pressing against my back like a phantom hand.“So,” came a voice, lilting, too sweet to be sincere.Linda.I looked up to see her smiling, her head tilted slightly as if she were indulging a child. The candlelight caught on her jeweled hairpins, scattering reflections that danced mockingly across the tablecloth.“I heard the doctor said y
Steam curled from the washbasin as I wiped the last trace of water from my face. My reflection looked pale but calm, a mask I’d learned to wear too well. When I stepped out, Lyra was sitting on the edge of my bed, humming softly, the melody light and tender. Spread beside her on the bed was a dress, a masterpiece of navy silk that shimmered under the lantern light like the midnight sea.“Whoa,” I breathed, halting mid-step. “That’s… one beautiful dress.”Lyra’s eyes sparkled. “I know, right? It’s specifically made for a queen.” She ran her fingers over the embroidery as though she were handling a sacred relic.“For a queen?” I echoed, forcing a weak smile. “Really?”“Yes,” she said, rising to her feet. “And you’ll wear it tonight, to showcase your recovery.”My stomach sank. “Is… everyone going to be there?” The words came out smaller than I intended, betraying the nervous flutter in my chest.“Of course,” Lyra replied lightly, then added, “Oh, except Granny. She said she’s not feeli
The darkness felt heavy, almost alive, like it had weight, pressing against my skin and lungs. I opened my eyes, and for a moment, I couldn’t tell if they were open at all. The air was thick and cold, filled with the faint scent of wet earth and decay. Slowly, my vision adjusted. I was standing in a narrow alleyway, the walls on either side slick with moisture, shadowed and endless.But ahead… ahead was light.A faint shimmer, fragile and trembling like a candle trying to survive the wind. Instinct told me to move toward it, though a part of me hesitated. The darkness behind me whispered, urging me to stay, but curiosity or perhaps desperation, pushed me forward. My footsteps echoed softly as I walked, each one swallowed almost instantly by the silence that clung to the air.As I drew closer, the light grew brighter until it wrapped around me completely. And then, without warning, the alley vanished.I stumbled forward, blinking rapidly as I found myself standing in the middle of a
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I pleaded, my voice trembling as I tried to scoot backward on the bed, away from him. My hands fumbled against the sheets, desperate for distance that didn’t exist.He reached the bed in two strides, his shadow falling over me as he leaned closer. His hands caging me as it rested on either side of me on the bed. The air grew heavy. His scent dark, musky, and intoxicating wrapped around me until it felt like I was drowning in it.“Well,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, “you’re becoming quite brave, aren’t you?”I shook my head violently, panic clawing up my throat. “No… no, Your Majesty. I didn’t mean to.”His gaze dropped to my injured leg, and for a fleeting moment I thought I saw pity flicker in his eyes. Hope flared for half a second, foolish, fragile hope. But then his lips curved into a cold smile.“Don’t think your injury will save you from punishment.”My breath hitched. “Please—”“You have quite the knack for disobeying me,” he said, almost lazil
“Keeping you in place,” he replied coldly.“You monster!” I yelled, my voice breaking with tears. The men in the front seat exchanged nervous glances, their unease palpable. “Does that hurt?” he asked, sarcasm dripping from every word. His tone cut through me like a blade.“Maybe it should, to remind you who you are… and who you’re with,” he added sharply, each word laced with cruel authority.His words cut deeper than any physical blow. I was trapped in a world I didn’t understand, with a man who seemed to revel in my discomfort. “You... What is your problem anyway?” I demanded instead, my frustration spilling over.“I don’t want to talk about it,” he said flatly, his jaw tightening.“Then stop behaving like a psychopath,” I snapped before I could stop myself.The men in the front seat gasped, the air crackling with shock and fear.Before I could even blink, Ashton’s hand shot out, wrapping around my neck. He pressed me back against the seat, his grip unyielding.“Mind the way you t







