Chapter Three

Elyria’s POV

I was almost done with queen training for the day when a messenger arrived with a note for me from my parents and the royal council. They were calling for an emergency meeting.

“That’s odd…” I muttered under my breath. It was unlike them to do something like that. As far as I knew, everything had been finalized. The wedding would happen first then the coronation would follow shortly after.

I needed a break after all the studying I had been doing but I guess there was no time for that as I saw the guard still standing there, waiting to escort me to the throne room. It showed the urgency of the situation. This only heightened my curiosity.

We walked in silence through the hallways and a part of me wanted to ask the guard if he knew what this was all about. The urgency of the summons had unsettled me.

I quickly dismissed the thought. If the council wanted me informed, they would have informed me already. Besides, the poor man looked just as confused as I was.

Finally, we arrived at the throne room and the large oak doors swung open.

Every important member of the council was present.

General Darius stood at the king's right hand, his expression unreadable. Lord Karth sat with his fingers steepled beneath his chin, watching me carefully. High Seer Elowen avoided my gaze altogether.

A strange feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.

Something was wrong.

“Father?” I called gently. “Mother? I got your message. Is everything alright?”

“Everything is just as it should be. We just have something we need to discuss with you immediately.” My father said from his seat on the steel throne.

“Okay? What is it?”

“Your marriage with Cassian, son of Draven, will not hold tomorrow as planned.”

For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.

The words seemed to hang in the air between us.

“I don’t understand,” I said slowly. “The wedding is being postponed?”

“No.”

My father’s answer came swiftly.

“The marriage will not take place at all.”

The room suddenly felt smaller.

“What?”

“You cannot marry that boy.”

My heart began to pound.

“That’s impossible. We’ve spent months preparing. You approved of him. You said yourself that he was honorable.”

“And he is,” my father replied. “Cassian is a fine young man.”

“Then what changed?”

A heavy silence followed.

“The stability of the realm must come before personal feelings.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means there are matters of state that require a different alliance.”

The answer only made me more frustrated.

“An alliance? Father, this is my life you’re talking about.”

“And it is my kingdom.”

The words struck harder than any slap ever could.

“Mother?” I turned to the queen, desperate for support.

She opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something, but no words came.

Instead, she looked away.

That was answer enough.

“My decision has been made, Elyria,” my father said. “There will be no further discussion. Information regarding your future husband will be provided to you in due time.”

My stomach twisted.

Future husband.

As though Cassian could simply be replaced.

“Go to your room and rest. Tomorrow is a big day for you and for all of Aetherion.”

Just like that, I was dismissed.

I somehow made it back to my chambers without breaking.

The moment the doors shut behind me, I collapsed onto my bed.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow I was supposed to marry the man I loved.

Tomorrow I was supposed to stand before the people of Aetherion with Cassian at my side.

Tomorrow I was supposed to begin the future we had spent years dreaming about together.

Instead, I had been informed that I would be given to another man like a political bargaining chip.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

How had I not seen it?

The entire castle had been preparing for my coronation. The wedding had always felt like an afterthought to everyone except me.

Had they known all along?

Had my parents?

Had the council?

Was I truly the last person to find out?

The realization hurt more than the cancellation itself.

I buried my face in my pillow and cried until my chest ached.

By the time the tears stopped, only one thought remained.

Cassian deserved to hear this from me.

Not from a royal announcement.

Not from a messenger.

From me.

Just then, there was a knock on my door and I could tell who it was by the pattern of their knock. “Come in, Dania.”

She slowly opened the door and let herself into the room. “My lady, how are you doing? You’ve been indoors for a while now. I’m worried about you. The queen asked me to come check on you.”

“I’m fine. As you can see. You can leave me alone now.”

“But…it’s dinnertime. You have to be present,” she said and I resisted the urge to groan out loud in frustration.

“Tell them I don’t feel too well. I need to rest for tomorrow.”

“Okay, I will pass the message across.”

She left me alone and in a matter of minutes, she was back again. Only this time, she had with her a tray of my dinner.

“They had me bring it up for you,” she said and I shrugged.

After she left, I got up to my feet immediately. I knew she wasn’t going to check on me again. This was the time to make my move. I changed my regalia for a simple outfit. I placed a veil over my face to conceal my identity. I couldn’t afford to get caught by any of the guards. Before leaving, though, I arranged my pillows underneath my blanket to make it look like someone was sleeping there.

Carefully, I made my way out through the balcony and out through the secret back garden route that led to the village. I was going to go see Cassian at his place before everything changed tomorrow. He deserved an explanation at least.

Somehow, I made it to his cottage without being spotted. I knocked but no one responded. I kept knocking but it seemed that no one was at home.

“Where could you be?” I muttered under my breath as my curiosity got the best of me and I pushed the door open to reveal the empty house.

Just as I stepped in to take a proper look of the place, a loud voice startled me, making me almost jump out of my skin.

“What do you think you’re doing here?”