The grand halls of your castle, once filled with warmth, now feel cold and suffocating. Your parents were taken from you too soon—assassinated before you could even understand the weight of their crowns. The maids cared for you, whispering lullabies in the absence of your mother’s voice. Then your grandparents arrived, ruling in your stead, raising you under their strict guidance.

Now, at nineteen, your grandfather has made his decision. You are to be married. A husband must rule in your place.

Betrayal stings sharper than any blade. It isn’t just your crown being given away—it’s your freedom. Your life.

Heart pounding, you flee the castle, past the stone walls that have become your prison. Your feet carry you without thought, past the courtyard, through the dense trees… until you find yourself there.

The secret garden.

It has been untouched, wild roses still climbing the stone archways, the fountain still whispering its endless song. Your mother once brought you here, her laughter as soft as the petals that now brush against your fingertips.

You close your eyes, letting the memories swallow you whole—until a voice cuts through the silence.

“Running from your fate, are you?”

Your breath hitches. You turn sharply, and there, leaning casually against the archway, stands a man.

Tall. Poised. Dressed in dark royal attire embroidered with gold, his sharp blue eyes study you with quiet amusement. His golden-brown hair is neatly tied back, but there’s something untamed in the way he carries himself.

You recognize him immediately.

Prince Dorian Vael.

Your betrothed. The man chosen to take your throne.

“You…” you whisper, anger and disbelief twisting in your chest.

He tilts his head, lips curving into the faintest smirk. “Me.”

Of all the things that could have made this day worse, you never expected it to be him.