e glass window, looking over his realm with his back to us. “Inform them that the kingdom is also offering asylum to Draconian refugees. They do not need to bring their passports. Our bo

s threshold but did not go any further. The Royal Herald looked up from his tablet phone when my father stopped dictating, confused. The man did not notice me at first, but when he did, the king me

man was out of earshot. “What did I say about listeni

father audibly sighed, touching his forehe

ht tug at the corners of his lips, clearly entertained by my anti

hest and looked at my father under the wide-brimmed hat I was wearing. “Is meddling in their

n a deep slumber for such a long time, land formed and hid its scales, that once Mount Ormr, the colossal sleeping volcano of Draconia, erupts, the dragon will also wake and will consume the world. It was rich in every resource imaginable. Because of this, it was completely closed off to ot

l under their pur

e the appeal of helping a nation that

those in need, Selina,” my father replied. “So that w

quo, so

act

olfenhe

on his face. “There are no permanent friends in politics, but we can

ase in the order of their Black Herb Poison. He still didn’t know the reason behind

y I am here, I

business and keeping my emotions

that I knew so well. He was acting aloof and nonchalant, but I knew my father like the back of my hand.

s,

ther, not talking, until Saul raised his hands and stepped forward. Understa

k shirt, relishing the warmth and security he provided. The king puts

,” he told me. “But... shou

wiping the tears from my e

his is what I want. I’ve been preparing

You know what it means, goi

the future of our kingdom depends on me and my abilities.

he question,

heart. That’s what I’m concerned about. Henry does not even bother coming here like a true gentleman. He’s going to claim you as h

ll him, especially now that my boyfriend’s actions were making my father anxious. “Henry is busy, just like you. I heard there’s a lot going on in Aldervolf this time of

have seen something acceptable because he was s

ly. “But if Henry ever hurts you i

n my pinky finger. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t agree with me to go to him. Still, my fathe

be the Destined Empress of Volfenheim, but you are m

spoke, tears would flow again and my father

uivering voice said behind

y father’s wife, wiping her tears away with

r her wing. Nobody questioned her or her intentions, and nobody asked for my consent or wishes. She just barged into my life like she belonged there. But she wasn’t. Never was, never will be. I

making us look at him. “

e always had something to demand of her. My father always treated H

ter to the border. See to it, s

ng around to face him, no longer

our pard

*

be very

across me. I just stared at my dead mobile phone and deliberately ignored her, pretend

aning an elbow on the open window, a dreamy look on her face. “Regardless

ly give he

g to be there

on the coach said, finally had enough of the aw

d at my lady-in-waiting. “No

sat motionless, hands folded on

uld tolerate it, but my stepmother couldn’t stand silence and, true to her character, she couldn’t seem to p

de from my castle to the bridge that connected our kingdom to the other country would normally take eight hours, but because she was heavily pregnant, the

limousine to a horse-drawn carriage. We had to pay a courtesy call to the senile old Grand Duke of Florin before we could cross the dukedom and reach the empire. It was during this visit that he would consider whether or not to let us pass. Fortunately, His Royal Highness and

. I’m not sure what I’d do if it was just m

ng days. Now we were on our third day and it was already late in the afternoon. We only needed to cross Lupine Pass, which

o’clock. It’s an h

he earring Henry gave you

the former concubine that, but she was still my father’s wife and the queen of our

as it sped up. I observed my stepmother as she protectively clutched her enormous belly while clinging to an armrest for dear life. I had considered sitting next to the older woman and assisting her. She was carrying my baby brother, after all. I admit I had my moments

shed over me and parted the drapes of the window with a glov

pening?” the

ked with escorting us rode his horse to catch up with the speeding carriage,

the royal guards to defend us from the attackers. We couldn’t see what the guards were fighting against—there wa

ar in my voice. “The audacity of these

d, and I dipped my hand into the opening, touching something cold before pulling it out again, producing an elegant-looking pocket pistol small enough to fit i

na’s voice was quivering, her face was pal

owering my hand to the footrest slot and pulling out a box of black bul

e that, are you?” Becca’s

close. Hearing the locks click was like music to my ears. When I was a ch

want to ruin my honor. The concealed handgun in the carriage was for me to use specifically for times like this. They filled the bullets with concentrated

k—” Helena informed them whil

and faster. It was making me feel dizzy, too. Becca quickly produced a tiny jar of smelling salt from her pocket and hovered it below Helena’s no

ade a little jump. I heard the wood splinter and watched as a small object fell off the damaged wheel. I braced myself, leaning back in my seat and gripping the armrests as tightly a

ied to look out again, but gr

alls looked cl

ods, no!” Be

a moment to realize the car had already skidded to a halt. I could swear the carriage was still spinning, but it turned out I was just dizzy. As I pushed myself off the floor, black dots dan

eeing my hair from the hat, only to encounter a man clutching an unconscious royal coac

ng off his lean frame and tawny, yellowish-brown skin. He was barefoot and had dark tattered denim pants on, and his hair was longer than

ame to min

e lands like we were. Or he could be from around here. A homeless person with an athlete’s body and th

sed my weapon, cocking the safety off. Most revo

coachman were of no significance. Behind him, the sun was setting faster

uestions later, but the effect of the Black Herb bullets was instantaneous. I won

ok a step back, my heart pounding hard at my ribs. Retracting his lips, he expose

___