Chapter 1

"Are you sure you want to marry Hephaestus?"

My father's brow was deeply furrowed.

"The Titan War three hundred years ago damaged his legs and his divine core. Everyone says he'll never recover or father divine heirs. If you change your mind, there's still time."

I lowered my gaze to the marriage contract in my hands.

On the parchment, a sun and a cluster of pale blue divine fire overlapped.

"I'm sure."

My voice was soft, but there was no hesitation.

The gods all looked down on Hephaestus for his injuries, but the Northern Realm controlled every mine and divine weapon in the realm.

Even confined to a wheelchair for life, he had enough power to defend his domain. More importantly, an alliance with him could strengthen the Sun Palace's position.

This marriage would bring the palace its strongest ally, and give me a way out of a family that had nothing left to offer but favoritism.

"Once the marriage contract is submitted to the Temple of Fate, it can't be changed until the ceremony is complete. Under the ancient laws, to prevent enemy ambushes, the bride's name can't be revealed beforehand.

"Aside from me, your mother, and Hephaestus, no one else knows who the bride is."

My father hesitated, then asked, "What about your three brothers? You've depended on them since you were little. You're not going to tell them beforehand?"

I traced my fingertips along the edge of the contract.

A long time ago, I truly believed I could never live without them.

I was born under the Celestial Fire Curse. Whenever my emotions surged, it felt as though flames were searing my heart again and again.

My father had to maintain the Solar Wheel, and my mother, Eos, spent most of her time in seclusion suppressing the curse. So my three brothers, who should have left for their own domains, were kept at the palace to watch over me.

When I was young, Orion would stay by my side through the night when the pain kept me awake. Pyron searched for a way to break the curse. Zephyros would roam the entire Sunset Cloud Sea picking golden roses for me.

That changed five hundred years ago, when my father brought Daphne back from a mortal battlefield.

She was a mortal girl with no parents, taken in as the Sun Palace's adopted daughter.

She was always saying she envied me for having parents, divine blood, and the love of the entire palace. Whenever my brothers returned from their domains, she would tear up and say, "You're finally back. While you were gone, it was awful living in someone else's home with no freedom of my own."

After that, the way my brothers looked at me slowly changed.

They started to believe that Father had kept them at the palace merely to make them my caretakers. Every bout of pain and every plea for help became proof, in their eyes, that I was using my status to keep them chained to the palace.

They were certain I already had the best of everything, so a little unfairness here and there didn't matter.

But I had run out of patience.

"There's no need to tell them."

I put the contract away. "After the wedding, I'll leave for the Northern Realm with Hephaestus."

A flash of surprise crossed my father's eyes.

He was about to say something when cheerful laughter drifted in from outside.

I stepped out of the main hall and saw my three brothers walking Daphne back from the Sunset Cloud Sea.

She held a large bouquet of golden roses in her arms.

Orion was shielding her from the glaring sunlight, Pyron was bending down to straighten the shawl the wind had mussed, and Zephyros was holding up the hem of her mud-stained dress.

The first time they took Daphne to the Cloud Sea, my curse had flared up.

But Zephyros said I was in pain every day, so a little delay wouldn't matter.

That night, I endured the pain alone.

The next day, they brought back a hall full of golden roses, but not a single one was for me.

Orion was the first to notice me.

The smile on his face faded.

"Was that private meeting Father scolding us again for spending all our time with Daphne instead of looking after you?"

Pyron spoke up next. "The wedding is coming up, and Daphne is already anxious enough. If you have a problem, take it up with us. Don't go running to Father to make things harder for her."

I frowned. "Whose wedding?"

Zephyros looked at me as if I'd asked something absurd.

"There are only two unmarried daughters in the Sun Palace, you and Daphne. Why would Father ever send you away to suffer in the Northern Realm?

"Hephaestus is crippled, and his temple sits in a volcano that erupts year-round. You've complained about the stone steps in the Sun Palace since you were a child. How long would you last there?"

Daphne said softly, "Please don't talk about her like that. Helias isn't that kind of person. And I'm already grateful enough to be marrying into a divine family."

She turned to me, her eyes full of delicate apology.

"Helias, I know Father's been busy with the wedding, and that must make you feel left out. Once I'm married, your brothers will all be yours again."

My father had only told the wedding officiant that a princess of the Sun Palace was to be wed. He hadn't revealed her name.

My three brothers were in charge of palace affairs, and they naturally assumed the bride was Daphne.

In their eyes, I was our parents' cherished daughter by blood, safe in the shelter of the Sun Palace.

Daphne was only a mortal adoptee who needed to be settled somewhere.

A broken, powerless Fire God was already a generous match for Daphne, but could never be my husband.

I said calmly, "The bride isn't her. It's me."

Orion shook his head in exasperation.

"You're still the same as when you were little. You can't stand us paying attention to anyone else."

Disappointment rose in Pyron's eyes.

"Daphne is about to leave the Sun Palace. There's only one month left. We spend a little time with her and you throw a fit? You can't even give her that?"

Zephyros stepped directly in front of Daphne.

"Behave yourself before the wedding. Don't even think about bullying her like you used to, or we'll seal your chambers."

I suddenly lost all desire to explain.

They didn't believe I was getting married, and they didn't believe I would actually leave.