LOGINThe next afternoon, the sun was bright over the courtyard as the royal transport stood ready to take us to the lake house.I stood by the open passenger door, waiting for Princess Odan. I had managed to keep my uniform collar loose for the ride, but the tension in my chest hadn't gone away.Footsteps sounded on the stone pavement. I turned, expecting to see Odan, but instead found Evander walking toward the transport in full tactical gear, a squad of four guards behind him.I frowned, stepping away from the vehicle. "What is this, General?"Evander stopped a few feet away, his jaw set into a hard line. His grey eyes flicked over my collar before settling on my face. "I am assigning myself to head your security detail for the trip to the lake house, Your Highness.""Penelope already assigned a secondary squad for the perimeter," I said, my voice dropping. "We don't need a full guard escort for a private visit.""The perimeter scanning reports showed minor signal fluctuations in the out
The peace didn't last through the third day.I was at the hover-skimmer landing strip behind Oliver's estate, adjusting the calibration on a light-bow while Oliver leaned against a parked transport unit, when a palace courier vessel touched down on the tarmac.The thrusters whined as the skimmer settled, its thruster vents dumping heat into the cool afternoon air. A uniformed royal messenger stepped out, holding a encrypted datapad with a glowing red royal seal flashing across the interface."From His Majesty, Prince Theodore," the messenger said, bowing his head as he handed over the pad. "You are summoned back to the palace immediately."Oliver, who was sipping a cold glass of synthetic juice, sighed and leaned back against the hull. "So much for the three days."I swiped my thumb across the scanner, clearing the security prompt. My father’s crisp, concise text filled the holoscreen.Theodore,Lord Cella's tax reports have been logged with the treasury. Your presence is required at
Lord Cella’s sealed letter had worked better than expected. My father hadn't been thrilled about my sudden departure, but given Cella's high standing and the vague phrasing about "urgent northern border tax discrepancies," he had no choice but to sign my temporary pass. By the time we reached Oliver’s estate on the outer rim of the capital, the knot behind my sternum had loosened for the first time in days. For two glorious, uninterrupted days, I didn't have to wear a high, stiff collar. I didn't have to chew Oliver's sharp winter-clove until my tongue went numb. And, most importantly, I didn't have to constantly look over my shoulder to see if a certain broad-shouldered General was silently tracking my every breath. "You're slacking, Your Highness!" Oliver called out, dodging behind a marble pillar in the estate’s private courtyard. I laughed—a genuine, easy sound that felt foreign in my own chest—and threw a rolled-up parchment scroll straight at his head. He ducked just in tim
The next morning, I met Princess Odan at the entrance of the glass gardens right after the guard inspection.She wore a long white dress with silver embroidery along the sleeves, her hair pulled back into a neat braid. She looked fresh, rested, and entirely at ease as we walked past the rare flowers and tall palms housed under the high glass dome."It is quite impressive," Odan said, looking around at the lush greenery. "We have nothing like this in the north. Our soil is too cold for most of these plants.""The gardeners use underground heat pipes to keep the room warm during winter," I explained, keeping a steady pace beside her. "It allows us to grow southern flora year-round."After twenty minutes in the gardens, I led her up the grand stone staircase to the upper library. The doors were open, and the smell of old paper and polished wood filled the air. Sunlight streamed through the tall stained-glass windows, illuminating rows of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves."This is the histori
The grand banquet hall was filled with the steady hum of chatter, the sharp clinking of silver cutlery against fine china, and the bright glow of high chandeliers. Servants in red and gold livery moved smoothly between the long tables, carrying silver platters of roasted meats, seasoned winter grains, and tall carafes of imported sweet wine.I sat near the middle of the high table, keeping my posture straight and my uniform collar buttoned all the way to my jaw. Beneath the stiff fabric, the bite mark was still warm, but the sharp, medicinal taste of Oliver’s winter-clove sitting under my tongue kept my head clear enough to focus.To my left, my father was engaged in a quiet conversation with Lord William Fraser about the autumn harvest taxes. Fraser was gesturing with his wine glass, occasionally laughing at his own jokes, while my father nodded along with a polite, practiced smile.Standing roughly fifteen feet behind the King's guard line, posted near one of the marble pillars, w
I practically sprinted to my room, taking two steps at a time up the winding stone stairs of the west tower.By the time I reached my suite, my lungs were burning, and my pulse was hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. I threw the doors open, slammed them shut behind me, and engaged every manual bolt on the frame.I collapsed onto the edge of my bed, dropping my head into my hands and breathing heavily through my mouth.He’s doing it on purpose, I thought, my fingers digging into my hair. No, he isn't. He doesn't even fucking realize it.That was the worst part. If Evander had been intentionally tormenting me, I could have fought back. I could have drawn a blade or called the guards or used the law against him. But how was I supposed to fight an instinct? How was I supposed to defend myself against a man who was gravitating into my personal space, sniffing my neck, and brushing against my body like a bloodhound tracking a trail in his sleep?A sharp knock rattled the wooden pane







