HINA'

urn with the annulment decree,

ppease me, to bring Jacqueline before me, w

ut my moth

coveted all along. According to kingdom law, a noblewoman's dowry was managed by he

our past life to weave her way through the noble circles, paving Kael

of ice through my heart. That man was a n

gotten deta

way in that abandoned mano

he iron bars of the dungeon, he had passe

remembered his eyes. They were impossibly bright, li

rd taking pity on a dying prisoner and risking punishment t

them would have risked his wrath for my sake. And the stranger had been injured himself, his cloak concealing bot

life to help me? The question lodg

d me from my thoughts. It wasn

me, Cressida.

ghter. My stepsister. The one who had stabbed

said, my

had a clumsy dragon-wing embroidery on the shoulder, a cheap imitation of the emblems worn by tr

you alright? He didn't trouble you, did he?

ing the touch. I didn't want

ally" let it slip that Jacqueline was "gravely injured and h

ed, watching her pa

n her as I used to. Her eyes darted around the room

origins, trying to attach herself to the Sterling family!

to helping me while secretly sending word to Kaelen that Cressi

h desperate t

culous imitation dragon wings on her shoulder. "How touching. Though if Jacqueline disappeared tomorr

oncern vanished from her face. Shock flashed through her e

ld you say somet

or. "You should try being sincere sometime. I

holding a piece of fine par

u asked for." Moi

ped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Sister! You.

he quill, and signed my name a

as firm, without

g," I declared, handing the signed decree to Moira. "Keep th

dn't comprehend it. An unmarried woman who had broken

know that I sim

his," Cressida stammered, befor

was rushing to tell he

nted them