irm, reassuring presence on her arm. The core family members had be

e floor before the grand fireplace. Lady Philippa s

gument. "Due to Damien's dishonorable conduct, the marriage contract with

ping over the assembly be

h authority, "Seraphina Beaumont, the Dowager Duchess of Iro

e would have to call the woman he'd discarded Aunt? Th

again, this time from

oment that the great doo

o the room. A crimson gash was visible on his temple. Seraphina recognized him

Royal, his chest heaving, his voice chok

Duke... Duke Alist

silence descended upon the hall. Ever

as caught in a sudden rockslide in the mountain pass. The Duke's casket was thrown from the h

reath fogging the

he nearest Apothecaries' Guild outpost, and now, he was here,

back of a chair for support, her knuckles white. "Bring him in," she commande

tic activity. Servants ran, orders were shouted, and the oppressiv

ed to the spot, her

arried a

e dead man

pulled from his own coffin. The absurdity of it was so immense, she felt a hy

le as death itself, a stark white against the dark wood of the headboard. His eyes were closed, his

ngers followed them into the room. Master Hemlock

Alistair's eyelids, peering at his pupils with a small, enchanted lens. He pressed hi

eld its coll

ock straightened up,

for now," he announced, and a quiet

ff caused a severe trauma to his head. There is a significant cerebral he

incess Victoria asked

the blood on its own. If he does not regain consciousness within three months, the damage will become permanent. He will..."

nths. A

her husband. Not a ghost, not a memory, but a body without a

determined to be stranger

the comatose Alistair to Seraphina. A slo

t was worse. A widow could one day remarry. But Seraphina? She was no

as tr