na bare

k-draped canopy above her, replaying K

re min

of his voice sent a

asn't a fool. He was wa

wrong move, he would

ws, Seraphina sat up, already feeling the wei

no time

eded a

rvants bustled through the halls, preparing for yet an

pinned in an intricate braid woven with delicate jewels. She l

rface, she was any

d chamber with towering stained-glass windows

pression poised and unreadable as he and King Edric

across

, his sharp gray eyes filled with quiet am

na igno

ong the other Elarion nobles. He had positioned himself

rsation passed

ou al

o

's jaw

of them could sa

lly to be united," he mused, swirling h

te. But there was something

ion neutral. "Yes, Your Hi

as if he knew exactly

away before her

the time it ended, Seraphina's

eeded

the guards and courtiers until she reached the secl

s alone, she let

s not alon

t find you here,"

on the stone railing. "Do you make a

"Only when you

expression carefully blank

s gaze never leaving

er arms. "We have n

, dangerous. "You see, I don't care about yo

pounded. "Then w

low and delibe

breath caugh

lower. "You want your little affa

s blood tu

lay the perfect queen, and in r

t him, her pulse r

t threat

ng her freedo

d she tr

e impor

e afford

the time it ended, Seraphina's

eeded

the guards and courtiers until she reached the secl

s alone, she let

s not alon

t find you here,"

on the stone railing. "Do you make a

"Only when you

expression carefully blank

s gaze never leaving

er arms. "We have n

, dangerous. "You see, I don't care about yo

pounded. "Then w

low and delibe

breath caugh

lower. "You want your little affa

s blood tu

lay the perfect queen, and in r

t him, her pulse r

t threat

ng her freedo

d she tr

e impor

e afford

od frozen, he

ively simple: accept his proposal, marry him, and live in a gilded cage

ght of it w

something in return. And she knew, deep down, that if she

lder than she intended. "Why

n. "You misunderstand, Princess. I'm not offering you kindne

brow furrowe

the power to keep your precious Adrian close. You won't have to hide. You'll hav

on water, sliding into her mind,

in one way: i

al calculation-would never give her that same kind of freedom. And without the

oulder, pretending to love a man she loathed-how

'll be content to pretend? To be your obedient l

do whatever it takes to protect the on

her like a p

ady care about Adrian?" she demande

your loyalty," Kael replied coldly. "Adrian will never be able to pro

rocessed the weight of his words. Was he right? Was Adrian

d. His bloodline, his position, his ruthless mind all of those thi

rself if she allowed herse

fying reality of marrying Kael and the equall

expression unreadable, his posture re

r voice a whisper. "I can't... I can

ger behind them. But it was gone almost as quickly

ncess. The only question is whether y

motion. "I'll give you time to think. But don't take t

Seraphina alone in the pavilion with nothing but the col

ngs and pretending to smile as the preparations for her marriage to Kael continued. Every time she

hough the world was collapsing around them. They exchanged quiet words, brief

t keep livi

saw the pain in his eyes the guilt he

he saw the dangerous allure of a man

ed in two different directions, b

her to choose. To submit to him completely, to make her mark on the

e even worse Kael would not let them live in peac

would be no winner