LOGINChapter 52: the sevant regretElena povI managed to finish cleaning the study in a blur of tears and mechanical movements. My hands were raw and aching, my back screaming in protest, but the room was spotless. That was what mattered.Then came the bathing chamber. The massive space with its marble floors and copper tub seemed to mock me as I scrubbed every surface until my hands were numb. I could imagine them here together, Catherine's laughter echoing off the walls while Kieran...I shook my head, pushing the thought away and worked faster.Next, came Catherine's chambers. She had claimed the guest suite directly across from Kieran's rooms… I stopped, peering my ears to the door, close enough to hear the hushed voice, and Catherine giggling like a fool across the door. I didn't need to be there to know what was happening between them.I quickly finished changing the linens with shaking hands, arranged fresh flowers on every surface, and ensured every detail was perfect. Because Ca
Chapter 51: caughtElena povA few hours later, I was carrying supplies Anna had given me to the study door.I stopped at the door, taking a deep breath, and entered.The destruction took my breath away.The beautiful room where we'd talked about poetry and philosophy, where he'd looked at me like I mattered, like I was more than my designation... it was in ruins. The desk was overturned, papers scattered everywhere. Glass from shattered bottles crunched under my feet. Deep gouges marked the wooden floor and walls… claw marks from a wolf too large and enraged to be contained.Evidence of Kieran's rage after my betrayal.I stood in the center of the destruction and felt something break inside me all over again.*This is what I did to him,* I thought. *This is what my choices cost.*I started with the glass, carefully sweeping it into piles, my tears falling silently onto the same floor where I'd once stood as something close to an equal. I righted the furniture piece by piece, cleaned
CHAPTER 50: The Servant's DawnElena's POVI woke to darkness and the sound of bells.Three chimes. Three in the morning. The omega servants' wake-up call.Around me, bodies stirred in narrow cots crammed together in a room barely large enough to hold them all. The air was thick with the smell of unwashed bodies and exhaustion. Someone coughed. Another whimpered softly in her sleep, caught in whatever nightmare plagued her.I lay still for a moment, staring at the water-stained ceiling, trying to remember how I'd gotten here.*Three days,* I thought. *Three days since I woke in Kieran's chambers. Three days since Anna informed me of my new reality.*My back throbbed—a dull, persistent ache that never quite went away. The healers had done their work well enough. Most of the wounds had closed, the flesh knitting together with surprising speed that had made them exchange worried glances when they thought I wasn't looking. But they'd insisted I keep the bandages on."Don't draw attention,
CHAPTER 49: lookng for answersElena's POVThe light hurt.Not just my eyes… though they stung and watered every time I tried to open them—but something deeper. Something in my chest that felt raw and exposed, like a wound that would never quite heal.I have been awake for hours now. Bearing the periodic arrival of the healer with her bitter medicines and pitying looks.Maya came and went, always gentle, always careful not to touch me. The guards outside my door…sorry, Kieran's door, changed shifts with military precision. I heard their murmured conversations, the way they fell silent whenever footsteps approached, as if expecting their king to return at any moment.He never did.Part of me was grateful. But another Part of me wasn't, the part that tried so much to ignore.*Stop it,* I told myself firmly. *Stop thinking about him. Stop remembering the way he caught you, the way he looked at you like you mattered. It was all a lie. All of it.*But was it? That was the question that hau
Chapter 48: the invitationKierean povMy body stiffened,It was king darius, apparently he didn't leave with the others.I let out a bitter laugh. "Define 'well.'""You didn't kill anyone. In your current state, I consider that a victory." He walked toward me, his expression serious. "But Kieran, they're not wrong to be concerned…“I made myself clear that everyone should leave.” I growled."Now, now, Kieran," Darius's voice called out, dripping with false cheer. "Why leave so soon, And here I thought we might have a chat. Just the two of us. King to king."I stopped, my jaw clenching so hard I heard my teeth grind together. "I believe I made myself clear in the Great Hall, Darius. Your presence is no longer required.""Ah, but that's where you are wrong." His footsteps grew closer until he was standing beside me, close enough that I could smell the cloying scent of his cologne. "We have so much to discuss. So many... fascinating developments."I turned to face him, keeping my expres
Chapter 47: council meeting 2Kierean povThe Great Hall was packed, just like I had expected. Every Elder had answered the summons, their aged faces grave as they sat in their high-backed chairs arranged in a semicircle. At the far end, King Darius lounged in his chair with calculated nonchalance, but his eyes were sharp as knives.The room fell silent as I entered. Every eye turned to me, and I felt the weight of their judgment like a physical thing pressing down on my shoulders."Your Majesty," Elder Aldric spoke first, his voice carrying despite his advanced age. "Thank you for finally gracing us with your presence."The rebuke in his tone was subtle but unmistakable. I had kept them waiting, and they all knew it."Elder Aldric," I acknowledged with a slight nod, taking my place at the head of the hall. "Councilors. I understand you have concerns about recent events.""Concerns?" Lady Sabrina, let out a sharp laugh. "Your Majesty, what we witnessed yesterday goes far beyond 'conce
Elena's POV His amber eyes flickered between us, sharp with interest. Then he smiled… a knowing smile that made my skin crawl… and bowed."Of course. Until later, Lady Elena." He .melted into the crowd, The promise in his words made me shudder.And suddenly I was alone with Kieran, press flushed
The Gilded CageElena's POV“You will attend my bed tonight.”The words circled in my mind like vultures, picking at what remained of my composure. I managed to reach my room, without stumbling on my dress. I sat on the edge of the massive bed in my chambers, my hands shaking so badly I had to clas
Chapters 9Elena povThe command was soft, but to me, it sounded more like a god looking at me from above. absolute. I reached for the laces at the back of my gown with shaking fingers, fumbling with knots that suddenly seemed impossible to untie.Kieran watched my struggle for a moment, then when
Elena's POVThe door closed behind Mira with a soft click that sounded like a prison lock sliding into place.Kieran stood in the center of my chambers, filling the space with his presence in a way that made the enormous room feel suddenly small. He wore black as always, but tonight the clothing se







