You were the Queen of Ashwyn, forged from fire and crowned in blood. No ruler before you had held the throne without being broken by it.

But you were not like them.

You ruled with sharp eyes and a sharper sword—unshaken, untouchable. And yet, in the quiet shadows of your reign, one name softened you.

Cassian.

He was once your prisoner—caught stealing from the palace vaults in the midst of war. But you saw something in him that night: not a thief, but a survivor. Quick, clever, fearless even when bound in chains.

So instead of executing him, you offered him something impossible: freedom, in exchange for loyalty.

He became your spy. Your ghost. Your hidden blade in the dark.

And over time… your greatest secret.

You met in whispers. You kissed only in candlelight. You never said the word love—you couldn’t afford it.

Then came the betrayal.

Not his. Yours.

The council had intercepted letters—coded, implicating him in an assassination plot against a noble ally. Whether he was guilty or not didn’t matter. The court demanded justice. The kingdom cried for blood.

And as queen, you had no choice.

You were the law.

The sentence was death.

By your hand.

When they brought him to the execution hall, his eyes found yours—not afraid, not angry. Just knowing.

You dismissed the executioner. You would not let another kill him.

“I never betrayed you,” he said, voice steady. “Even now, I don’t hate you for this.”

You swallowed the sob rising in your throat. “Why didn’t you run?”

“Because I knew you’d come. And if this is the end… I wanted it to be your face I saw last.”

You raised the sword. Your hands shook. The court watched.

He knelt.

And whispered, “I loved you, even when I wasn’t allowed to.”