ログインAria's POV“Are you really leaving today?” I asked as I entered the sitting room.Lucian turned from the window. He wore a dark travelling coat, and through the glass, I could see two guards waiting beside his carriage.“I have to. I've already postponed several meetings,” he replied.“Of course. You're a prince. I suppose people notice when you disappear for days.”“They certainly complain about it,” he answered with a smile.I smiled as he pulled out a chair for me, but I remained standing. Mrs. Vale had told me his carriage was ready, and I couldn't bear the thought of letting him leave without saying goodbye.“Will you be all right here?” Lucian asked.“King Cassian is staying, and Dr. Rowan has threatened to drag me back to bed himself if I overwork myself.”“Then I'll leave you in his capable hands. He seems much more frightening than I am.”“You sound relieved,” I teased.“Extremely,” he replied, stepping closer.“There's something I wanted to ask you,” Lucian continued. “Would
Lucian's POVSerena stared at me, her cheeks burning with humiliation.“You're being unfair, Lucian,” she protested. “Our families have spent years preparing for this marriage. You can't simply change your mind because you're unhappy with a few things you've seen.”“I'm not discussing the marriage again, Serena. What concerns me now is that Aria can't even rest in her own room without being confronted.”Alpha Richard stepped forward, his expression strained. “Your Highness, perhaps we should continue this downstairs.”“I'd prefer that,” I replied. “Lady Serena has already caused enough trouble here.”Serena pulled away when Richard reached for her arm. “Father, you're supposed to be on my side!”“I am your father, Serena, but I can't force the prince to marry you. Go to your room before you make matters worse.”She looked toward Aria, who was still standing in her doorway.“You must be enjoying this,” Serena muttered.Aria said nothing. Her injured wrist rested against her waist, and
Aria's POVCassian examined the ledger before turning toward me. “Serena Blackthorne's name appears beside every payment. Commander Vale hasn't verified who actually authorized them.”My fingers tightened around the blanket. Serena had never hidden her resentment toward me, but the thought that she might have paid someone to make my imprisonment worse left me sick.“Could someone have used her name?” I asked.“Possibly,” Cassian replied. “That's why we're investigating. I won't accuse anyone without evidence.”He handed the ledger to the guard. “Tell Commander Vale to secure the original records before questioning anyone connected to the payments.”After the guard departed, Cassian turned to me. “Aria, Commander Vale will need your statement about Deputy Warden Morrow. Dr. Rowan must examine you first.”“I'll speak to him,” I answered. “I remember what Morrow did, and I don't want anyone speaking for me.”Cassian nodded, but before he could respond, another guard appeared.“Your Majes
Aria’s POV“That isn't possible,” Damon said, staring at the document in King Cassian's hand. “I never authorized solitary confinement for Aria.”“Your signature appears on seventeen separate orders,” Cassian replied, holding the page where Damon could see it. “Are you denying that you signed them?”“Of course I'm denying it!” Damon turned toward me, his face pale. “Aria, I swear I didn't know they were doing that to you.”I pulled the blanket higher over my knees. Damon had made promises before I went to Blackstone, and I had believed every one of them. Now, hearing him deny any knowledge of my punishment, I didn't know whether I could believe him again.“May I see the orders, Your Majesty?” I asked, holding out my hand. “I want to know what they wrote about me.”Cassian glanced at Dr. Rowan, who stood near the window. When the physician nodded, Cassian brought the first page to my bedside.“You can read them,” he said, handing me the document. “If you need to stop, we'll stop.”My p
Aria’s POV Kieran found me the following afternoon outside the old records corridor. I had gone there to look for the transfer register, but the office was closed for King Cassian's inspection scheduled that afternoon. Kieran was waiting near the stairs with two guards I recognized from the estate. “Damon wants you to stop searching through official records,” he said. “Come with me, and we'll settle this before the king’s inspection party arrives.” “Damon can speak to me himself.” I took a step back when one of the guards moved behind me. “I haven't entered any restricted room.” Kieran caught my arm and steered me toward the archive beneath the west wing. I tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip over the bruises left at Blackstone, and the pain made it difficult to keep my balance. “Please don't put me in there,” I said when I saw the narrow door. “I'll go back upstairs. I won't speak to the prince again today.” “You should have thought of that before humiliating Serena.
Aria’s POVI went directly from the greenhouse to Damon's office. He was standing beside his desk with a stack of inspection schedules, and he asked me to wait while he finished a conversation with the head guard. I remained near the door until the guard left, holding the transfer paper so tightly that the crease had begun to tear.“Did you know someone prepared an application to send me to Ravenscroft as a servant?” I asked. “It has my prison number and a signature that isn't mine.”Damon took the page and read it. “Where did you get this?” he asked. “Why was it among the guest documents?”“It was left beneath the register yesterday.” I watched his face. “You said Father needed time before signing my transfer, but somebody has already filled one out.”He set the paper on his desk. “This isn't approved. I don't know who prepared it, and I'll speak to the office staff. Father told me Prince Lucian had raised questions about it. You should have come to me first.”“I didn't know he woul







