로그인Kora woke to the sound of her mother humming in the kitchen. The small room was barely bigger than a closet, with cracks in the walls and a ceiling that leaked when it rained. Thin grey light filtered through the single window, illuminating the dust motes that floated in the air. But the bed was warm, and the smell of cooking oats filled the room, and for a moment, everything felt almost normal.She stretched her arms above her head and listened to the familiar sounds of the morning. Her father's heavy footsteps on the creaking floorboards. The clink of spoons against bowls. The soft murmur of her parents' voices, talking about the day ahead.Her mother appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on her apron. She was a small woman with tired eyes and grey streaking her dark hair. Her face was lined with worry, but when she saw Kora awake, her expression softened."Good morning, my love," she said, crossing the room to sit on the edge of the bed. The mattress sagged beneath her weight,
Elsie POV The knock came at the worst possible moment. Elsie's head snapped toward the door, her heart lurching into her throat. Beside her, Zuri went rigid, her dark eyes wide with alarm. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting their tangled shadows across the walls, and the scent of their lovemaking still hung heavy in the air. "Who is it?" Zuri whispered, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Elsie pressed a finger to her lips and rose from the bed, grabbing the first garment she could find. It was a thin robe, meant for sleeping, not for receiving guests. She tied it hastily around her waist and crossed the room, her bare feet silent on the cold stone. She pressed her eye to the crack in the door. Malcom stood in the corridor, his sandy hair neatly combed, his coat immaculate. He was smiling, that eager, hopeful smile that made her stomach turn. Elsie opened the door just wide enough to block the view of the room behind her. "Malcom," she said, her voice flat. "What are you
Elsie POV The knock came at the worst possible moment. Elsie's head snapped toward the door, her heart lurching into her throat. Beside her, Zuri went rigid, her dark eyes wide with alarm. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting their tangled shadows across the walls, and the scent of their lovemaking still hung heavy in the air. "Who is it?" Zuri whispered, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Elsie pressed a finger to her lips and rose from the bed, grabbing the first garment she could find. It was a thin robe, meant for sleeping, not for receiving guests. She tied it hastily around her waist and crossed the room, her bare feet silent on the cold stone. She pressed her eye to the crack in the door. Malcom stood in the corridor, his sandy hair neatly combed, his coat immaculate. He was smiling, that eager, hopeful smile that made her stomach turn. Elsie opened the door just wide enough to block the view of the room behind her. "Malcom," she said, her voice flat. "What are you
Elsie POVThe knock came at the worst possible moment.Elsie's head snapped toward the door, her heart lurching into her throat. Beside her, Zuri went rigid, her dark eyes wide with alarm. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting their tangled shadows across the walls, and the scent of their lovemaking still hung heavy in the air."Who is it?" Zuri whispered, pulling the blanket up to her chin.Elsie pressed a finger to her lips and rose from the bed, grabbing the first garment she could find. It was a thin robe, meant for sleeping, not for receiving guests. She tied it hastily around her waist and crossed the room, her bare feet silent on the cold stone.She pressed her eye to the crack in the door.Malcom stood in the corridor, his sandy hair neatly combed, his coat immaculate. He was smiling, that eager, hopeful smile that made her stomach turn.Elsie opened the door just wide enough to block the view of the room behind her."Malcom," she said, her voice flat. "What are you doing h
Tori POVThe cottage was quiet, the kind of quiet that pressed against the ears and made every small sound seem loud. The fire crackled in the hearth, sending shadows dancing across the wooden walls. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying the scent of snow and distant woodsmoke.Tori sat at the small table near the window, a cup of cold tea forgotten before her. She had been sitting there for hours, staring at nothing, her mind churning through the events of the past days.The festival. The ritual. Hecate tearing the pendant from the king's neck. The beast rising. Hecate commanding it to its knees. The declaration that she would take the throne.It felt like a dream. A nightmare. A story that had happened to someone else.But it was real. And Tori was caught in the middle of it.Nessa sat across from her, mending a torn shirt with quick, practiced stitches. Her grey eyes kept drifting to her sister's face, watching, waiting."You have been quiet all day," Nessa said.
Maddox POVThe dining room had been transformed.Candles flickered on every surface, their golden light dancing across the silverware and crystal glasses. Fresh flowers spilled from vases, their petals soft pink and white, their fragrance mixing with the scent of roasted meat and warm bread. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting long shadows across the walls.Maddox had spared no expense. He had ordered the finest dishes from the kitchens, the rarest wine from the cellars, the most delicate desserts from the pastry chefs. The servants had worked all afternoon to prepare the room, and their efforts had paid off.It was beautiful. Intimate. Perfect.Hecate stood in the doorway, Isaac on her hip, her dark eyes sweeping across the room. Her expression was guarded, but Maddox saw the flicker of surprise beneath the surface."You went to all this trouble," she said. "For dinner.""I wanted to impress you."She arched an eyebrow. "Did it work?"Maddox crossed the room and took Isaac from







