Amelia stares at me, her eyes wide with shock as they roam over my scarred body, taking in the myriad of marks that crisscross my skin and the fresh blood of Henry's that paints me in a gruesome tableau. I can practically hear the thoughts racing through her mind. Disgusting. Ugly. He must have done something to deserve it. Thank heavens, we're enemies; otherwise, I'd be stuck with someone so repulsive. My heart clenches painfully in my chest, knowing with absolute certainty that those are the thoughts consuming her. Even if we weren't enemies, my scars would have ensured we never ended up together."Who hurt you?" Amelia's voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts, snapping me back to the present. She takes a step closer, tears glistening in her eyes, and I feel a surge of anger and betrayal. She's mocking me, pretending to care when I know she doesn't feel an ounce of genuine concern. It's all a lie, a cruel joke at my expense, and it hurts more than I ever thought possible.

I jolt awake, my skin slick with sweat. The air in my room is thick and heavy, the heat pressing down on me like a physical weight. Blinking away the last vestiges of sleep, my eyes widen in horror as I take in the sight before me - roaring flames licking at the walls, devouring everything in their path.Panic seizes me, a scream lodging in my throat as I stumble from the bed, coughing and choking on the acrid smoke that fills my lungs with every gasping breath. The fire seems to have originated in the closet, the flames climbing higher and higher with each passing second. I can't begin to fathom how this nightmare started.I lurch towards the door, my only thought to escape, to flee the inferno that threatens to consume me. But as my fingers close around the handle, a blinding white light explodes through the room, the force of it sending me flying backward. I crash into the vanity table, the glass shattering beneath my weight as I crumple to the floor in a heap of li

NICKOLAS "How could this happen? How could you fucking let this happen?" I roar, my voice raw with fury and desperation as I pace the living room like a caged animal, my hands clenching and unclenching at my sides."You think I let this happen?" Ava screams back, her face twisted with indignation and hurt."Don't you dare fucking raise your voice at me," I snarl, whirling on her with a ferocity that has her taking an involuntary step back. I loom over her, my body vibrating with barely contained rage, and for a moment, I see a flicker of fear in her eyes."And if I do, what will you do to me?" she challenges, lifting her chin defiantly as she tries to match my stance, but even at her full height, she barely reaches my chest. I glare down at her, my fists clenching so hard I can feel my nails biting into my palms, drawing blood. She knows I won't lay a hand on her, that my love for her stays in my hand even in the darkest of moments, and the

NICKOLAS We leave the hotel, my steps heavy with a sense of urgency that has become my constant companion these past few days. The pre-dawn air is cool against my skin as we fan out, beginning our search of the areas the witch tracked her to before the trail went dead.I pause, closing my eyes and drawing in a deep breath through my nose, hoping against hope to catch even the faintest trace of Amelia's sweet, intoxicating scent on the breeze. The scent that never fails to soothe the turmoil in my soul, a balm against the ever-present worries that plague me.Unconsciously, my mind conjures her image so vividly that I can almost reach out and touch her. I see her standing before me in that pale yellow sundress that hugs her lithe form in all the right places, the soft fabric doing little to conceal the lush curves that have become my torment and my salvation. Her beautiful face is tilted up towards the sun, and those baby blue eyes I adore crinkle at

"Hmm, so this is what you all believe?" I muse, my gaze sweeping over the gathered nobility, taking in their expressions of barely concealed hostility and judgment. "Yes, Your Majesty," they reply in unison, their voices ringing with a condemnation that sets my teeth on edge. I can feel a smile tugging at my lips, a mirthless thing that doesn't reach my eyes. They must truly think me weak to believe I would let such blatant slander against my rule go unanswered. That I would not have their heads for daring to question my motives, my authority. Rising slowly from my throne, I descend the dais steps with a deliberate, measured tread, the lords scrambling to their feet in response. I make my way towards Easterlin, holding his gaze with an intensity that has him shifting uncomfortably, his earlier bravado faltering in the face of my silent fury. He tries to maintain eye contact as I come to a stop before