Chapter 1

Alaric noticed I hadn't touched the wine he had poured for me himself. He gently cupped my cheek, his thumb stroking my skin.

"My sweet, what is it? Are you not feeling well?"

Looking at the deep affection in his eyes, I felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my chest.

One moment he was trading crass stories with his men about other woman's body, and the next he could so easily slip into the role of a perfect, devoted husband.

I wanted to see just how far he would take this charade.

"It's nothing. I was just curious, what were you all talking about just now?"

Alaric casually grazed my jaw with his knuckles, his low chuckle laced with indulgence.

"We were discussing how to deal with a traitor from a lesser clan. I didn’t want to trouble you with such matters, so we switched to the Old Tongue."

He had been a prince for too long, perhaps. Or it had simply been too long since he had given my own abilities any thought.

He had forgotten that my family had intermarried with various vampire clans for generations. I had been hearing those ancient languages since I was in my cradle.

The air in the hall, thick with smoke and the cloying, metallic sweetness of blood wine, was suffocating. I pulled myself from his embrace.

"You stay with our guests. I'm going to get some air."

Before Alaric could stop me, I walked straight toward the castle terrace.

Along the way, the ladies of the clans cast envious glances at me.

"Look at our princess, the only woman who can keep the Prince in her thrall. He throws such a lavish celebration for her every year."

"Indeed. Who wouldn't be envious of the Matriarch of Clan Morvath?"

In the past, words like these would have kept me awake all night, giddy with the belief that I had won the unwavering love of a prince desired by all.

Now, every word was like a blade twisting in my heart.

No one knew that the same Alaric who held me up on a pedestal in public was playing such a filthy game behind my back.

Yesterday, I had gone to his private baths, planning a surprise for our anniversary.

It was the Prince's forbidden sanctuary, a place of healing where even I rarely set foot.

But this time, I found a single strand of hair on the edge of the massive pool. It was not mine.

Blazing red curls. In all the Kindred, only Elise had hair like that.

The moment I walked out of that bathroom, I knew it was over between Alaric and me.

Suddenly, the phone in my pocket vibrated. It was my father. I retreated to the far end of the terrace and answered.

"Seraphina, everything is ready for you." My father's voice was as steady as ever.

"But I am curious," he added. "The Prince's devotion to you is known to the whole world. Why would he deny you a child?"

Years ago, to marry Alaric, I made a bet with my family: I had five years to conceive a vampire heir to prove his true love, or I would have to return home.

"No, Father," I said softly, my fingers brushing against the pregnancy crystal in my pocket. "I am already pregnant. But I still lost the bet."

My father seemed to understand and did not press further.

The thought of home hit me hard. My hand gripping the phone tightened until my knuckles turned white.

I hadn’t allowed myself to think of my family’s estate as ‘home’ in a long time, not since the day I had defied him and insisted on marrying Alaric.

I once believed Alaric was my only anchor in this world, my only true home.

But now, he had shattered that home himself.

I took a deep breath, lowering my voice.

"Father, please activate our old pact with the witch clans. Use their most ancient magic to erase me completely from the world of the Kindred."

"My scent, my bloodline, my contract sigil. Erase everything."

The line was silent for a few seconds, and when my father spoke again, his tone was uncharacteristically grave.

"Are you sure about this, Seraphina? Once it's done, the name Seraphina Morrell will cease to exist in all Kindred records and senses. That Prince of yours won't be able to find you. He'll go mad."

"The first time you saw him, you..."

I looked down at the heavy night fog below and gave a bitter smile. "He won't, Father. He doesn't need me anymore."

My eyes began to sting. For five years, I had abandoned my family's legacy, my only purpose was to be kept in this castle like a doll.

I had given him my all, only to be left with the ruins of my life.

My father was silent for a long moment before he sighed.

"In three days, I will bring you home. Until then, settle your affairs."

A wave of relief finally washed over me.

Once the witches' pact was activated, I would no longer have to rack my brain for a "dignified" way to escape my position as the Prince's wife.

"Alright. I'll sever all ties first."

Just as the words left my mouth, a low, familiar voice sounded from behind me.

"Darling, what did you just say you were severing?"