Ashton’s POVThe maids brought me tea, that’s when I knew something was wrong. The dining hall was silent when I walked in this morning. Not the tense, waiting kind of quiet from yesterday. This was different. This was fear. Twelve high-born ladies stood the second I crossed the threshold. Even the ones who had pretended not to see me yesterday. "Consort Ashton," the steward announced. Chairs scraped and heads bowed. I stopped at the seat to Xander’s right. A maid was already there. She pulled the chair out for me, her eyes on the floor. Another poured my wine first. A third laid the napkin across my lap. No one looked at me. "Thank you," I murmured. There was no response, just more bowing. Yesterday Xander broke Lady Mirelle’s hand in front of everyone. Yesterday he rewrote the law. `Any insult to Ashton is an insult to me.` Today, the entire palace was terrified of me, and I hated it. Xander wasn’t at breakfast. He was in the war room with his commanders. He’d kissed
Last Updated : 2026-07-09 Read more