LOGINSophie’s POVTime in the dark does not move like it does in the light. In the palace prison time is measured by the dripping of water. From a cracked ceiling. And the agonizing pulse of pain in my back. I sat in that cold cell for three days. It was the longest three days of my life. The floor was cold. It leached the warmth from my body till my bones felt like ice. My stomach had stopped growling. Now it was simply an aching void that made my head light. And my vision swim.The darkness was not silent. It was filled with the ghosts of my own mind. And the very real torment of Queen Mother Isolde. She visited me twice a day. Each time the heavy iron door groaned open. She didn’t come to talk. She came to break me."Tell me the truth girl." She would hiss. Her shadow stretching long across the cell wall. "Tell me what poison you slipped into the food. Tell me who paid you. Was it the Northern clans?"I would shake my head. My voice a dry rasp. "I didn't... poison him. I only co
Alaric’s POVThe walk from the palace prison to my chambers was the longest of my life. The air felt stagnant. Thick with the smell of blood I knew belonged to her. Each footfall echoed like a funeral bell. I moved in silence. A ghost haunting my own palace. My mind was a storm of violence. I wanted to turn back. I wanted to tear the iron gates with my bare hands. I wanted to carry her into the sunlight. But her voice. That faint whisper held me back. She had asked me to do nothing. She had begged me for peace. But all I felt was a craving for war.I pushed open the door to my chamber. I stepped inside. The room was cold. The fireplace had long since burned out. I did not call for the servants to relight it. I deserved the cold.My eyes immediately fell upon my bedside table. There was sitting in a silver vase. The flower Sophie had given me. I had placed it in fresh water. I had hoped to see it bloom. As a symbol of our burgeoning connection. It was beautiful. Its petals were vi
Alaric’s POVThe world did not just stop. Roland spoke; it withered. The air turned to ash in my lungs. As the Chief Guard uttered the words. Sophie had been imprisoned. The palace and it's history suddenly felt hollow. It was like the quiet before a hurricane. A silence so heavy. It made my eardrums throbbed.Then the realization hit me. This was a plot. A calculated trap. It was designed to ensnare the only person who brought me peace. I felt the wolf inside me stir. Its claws raking against my ribs. I had been a fool. I should have seen the invitation for what it was. I should have declined the offer to dine. I should have protected her from the vipers that call themselves my family.I looked at Roland. My face was no longer that of a King. It was the face of a predator. My jaw tightened. I heard my bone creak."Who arrested her?" I asked. My voice was low. "Queen Mother Isolde Sire." Roland replied. His voice steady despite the tension.I did not wait for another word. I move
Sophie’s POVThe kitchen was finally quiet. The fire had faded. The sharp scent of ginger still in the air. All my muscles ached. The fatigue was satisfying. I had watched Prince Daemon eat with a great appetite. It warmed my heart. Seeing the two brothers share a meal. It felt like home.I wiped my hands. I signaled the other chefs. We were a parade of exhausted souls. We walked toward the servants' quarters. The stone hall was cold. A welcome relief from the heat of the ovens. I planned to see them to their doors. Then return to my chamber. I wanted to wash away the sweat. I wanted to look presentable. I planned to meet Alaric at the royal farm. My heart flipped nervously at the thought of the farm. The way he had looked at me in the garden. The look was softer. Less like a King and more like a man."You outdid yourself today Sophie." Martha whispered. She walked beside me. "The Prince looked like he had found heaven on a plate.""It was just chicken and roots Martha." I said.
Alaric’s POVThe morning sun broke through the curtains of my chamber. It casted golden streaks across the floor. I woke up with a sensation. I had not it felt in years. I was happy. My mind immediately went back to the market square. I could still feel the weight of Sophie in my arms. I remembered the way her pulse jumped when I caught her. I remembered the scent of her hair. It was like wild herbs and rain. I lay there for a moment. I stared at the ceiling. I let the memory settle. I am a King who has spent his life expecting blades. To hold something so vital felt like a shift in the foundations of my world.A knock disturbed my thoughts. It was Roland. I recognized the disciplined strike of the Chief Guard."Your Majesty." Roland’s voice came through the thick wood. "The Young Prince is ready to see you. He is waiting in the leisure garden."I sat up. I cleared the sleep from my throat. "Give the Alpha a second to prepare." I commanded.I stood up. I grabbed my tunic. It was
Elara’s POVThe stone of the corridor felt like ice against my spine. I pressed my body into the uneven surface of the wall. I held my breath. Every second felt like an hour. Just a few feet away. The heavy boots of the King clicked against the floor. I watched through a narrow gap in the masonry. My eyes were fixed on the movement of hands. Cassian stood with Alaric. I saw Cassian reach into his tunic. He pulled out a small note. The parchment was yellowed. The wax seal was a deep royal purple. I heard the name fall from Alaric’s lips. Queen Mother Isolde.I watched Alaric’s face. It shifted into a mask of suspicion. He did not look in my direction. He does not look at me at all anymore. To him I am a threat. I am a nuisance to be ignored. I waited until their footsteps faded toward the keep. My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. I could not ask the King what the message said. He would only sneer. He would see my curiosity as a weapon.I turned and rushed towa







