Winter’s morning soured the moment she stepped into the dining hall and found Freya, Rosentine, and Cressida comfortably seated at her table. For a heartbeat, a wild, primal urge clawed up her throat. A desire to scream at them, to order the guards to drag them out and toss them into the courtyard like the pests they were. But she knew better.That was exactly what they wanted.She saw the taunting gleam in their eyes, waiting for her to falter, to lose control, to prove she was unfit to stand where a Queen should. One emotional misstep, and they would turn it into gossip, humiliation, and ammunition. So instead of rising to their bait, Winter rose above it.She glided to her seat gracefully and gently motioned for Eira to join her. Then she simply ate. She shifted her attention from the three parasites to Eira’s light chatter, letting her friend’s presence warm her mood. With that, Winter didn’t have to lift a finger to unsettle Freya and the twins. Every smile she shared with Eira,
Last Updated : 2025-12-13 Read more