Chapter 8: The Dream Is Over

As the crown prince of Sauslind, I was being bombarded with numerous meetings and reports from all over the country about the number of infected. Most of my hours were spent giving out orders and watching over the military like a hawk. By the time I returned to my office, the sun was already setting.

My hands were full enough setting up countermeasures for dealing with the plague, but that wasn’t the only matter that needed attending to; there were other political issues going on all across our regions that couldn’t be ignored. The prime minister could approve most matters, but the final decision had to go through me.

It was little wonder I felt no inclination to head straight to my work desk. Instead, I opted for plopping myself down onto the sofa in the corner of the room, near where Elianna always sat. Since no one else was in sight, I allowed myself to breathe out a deep sigh, draping an arm over my face. After a few restful minutes, I spoke up, directing a question to one of my Shadows.

“Has there been any report from Alan?”

This bodyguard normally never showed any emotion, but he hesitated a moment before answering this time. “Nothing yet.” His voice betrayed nothing, but there was something unusual about his response.

I could sense what it was already. Something strange was going on with my Shadows.

I sighed again, clenching my fist tight as I remembered the initial report I received. “We haven’t been able to confirm whether Lady Elianna Bernstein survived the attack or not.”

I knew when I sent her far away that no matter how much preparation I made, there was a possibility the unforeseen might happen. People had advised me before to trust the men I chose to serve me, but already a man I had once considered a friend—a man I’d placed my faith in—had betrayed me. It didn’t matter what the circumstances were, that someone might have forced Ian into it. The facts were the facts. And now, something strange was going on with the very bodyguards I had assigned to protect Eli as a last line of defense.

I ground my teeth. Unfiltered rage oozed out of me, stifling the air. Even the Shadows, who remained hidden, flinched at the shift.

As soon as I heard that the Ashen Nightmare was resurfacing, I accounted for every worst-case scenario I could think of as I gathered clues and entrusted them to Elianna. Unfortunately, someone else was getting the exact same information we had. They wouldn’t overlook Elianna, especially since she was trying to search for a cure.

Ever since I got word that she was missing, a restlessness began to overtake me from the inside. I believed she was still alive. I knew some would try to target her the moment she left the palace, and that was why I gave the order to hide her identity and leak it to no one if the worst should come to pass.

I knew I was placing her in danger. That was why I simulated everything in my head and put countermeasures in place. I even sent her with some of the royal family’s Shadows—bodyguards of the highest caliber. So why was something strange happening in their midst?!

Normally I hid my bitterness and fury behind a stone facade, but the exhaustion had sapped me of the strength to do so. It spilled out of me like a poison when I thought about how there were people out there who might have hurt Elianna.

If anything should happen to her...

As my thoughts began to turn pitch black, a knock suddenly sounded at the door with all too perfect timing. The person didn’t even bother waiting for a reply; they barged in and heaved an exasperated sigh at me.

“I thought I told you to go lie down.”

It was Glen, who had been by my side almost constantly without bothering to change shifts with anyone. In the absence of Alexei’s persistent nagging, he was doing an admirable job of fulfilling the annoying sister-in-law role, snipping at me constantly about one ridiculous thing or another.

My dark thoughts began to lift as I drew a long breath. A familiar scent tickled my nose, a special nutrient brew that my longtime chamberlain had concocted. I lifted the arm from my face and sat up straight, reaching for the steaming cup.

“It’s awful,” I choked out after taking a small drink.

Glen groused, “Give me a break.”

The chamberlain shrugged, accustomed to my complaints.

“I remember you drinking a whole cup of that insanely bitter black tea Lady Elianna made for you before. It was so disgusting that Alex and I couldn’t taste anything else for the rest of the day,” said Glen.

I sighed at his resentful grumbling. “Glen, when the woman you love makes something for you herself, it tastes even better than the most heavenly wine. You just don’t understand because you haven’t experienced it yet.”

Taken aback, he pressed a hand to his chest. “You might actually have a point.”

My more realistic chamberlain merely shook his head and said, “I don’t think it matters how much you love the person. She put in ten times the amount she should for a single pot of tea. Anyone would agree it was disgusting.”

Right as their banter was beginning to liven my spirits...

“Please halt,” said a guard outside.

Only a few seconds later, the door burst open. This wasn’t something I minded from one of my inner circle, but this intruder was far from being an ally.

“Pardon me for interrupting your pleasant little discussion here, Prince Christopher.”

The man shamelessly strode in despite his apology. His hair was the same dark reddish-brown as his eyes. At first glance, his features greatly resembled my mother’s, but there was a telling difference: his lips were pulled taut and his eyes were narrowed as if he was scrutinizing everyone and everything, himself included. As the older brother of the queen, which also made him my uncle, Greig Odin was the most prominent noble in all of Sauslind.

His brazen audacity prompted a complaint from my chamberlain, who said, “How dare you barge into His Highness’s office like this.” My uncle’s intimidating stare quickly silenced him, however.

“I’m afraid if I didn’t, there would be no other opportunity for me to seek an audience with His Highness. You’ll have to excuse me for being too forward.” He smiled apologetically, but there was no shame in his voice.

While Uncle Theodore was often casual and discourteous with me, there was a certain familial affection to his actions. This was entirely different. Uncle Greig came in with the commanding presence of an eminent noble, exuding a pressure that silenced those beneath him. He didn’t even have to say anything to chase my chamberlain out the door. Glen remained, but my uncle didn’t even spare a glance his way.

I held back the impulse to click my tongue at him as I remained seated, fixing our intruder with a cool gaze. “I am most humbled that someone as busy as yourself would take the time to come all the way to my office, Uncle. If this is an urgent matter, however, shouldn’t you have shared it during our meeting a little while ago, where we could have all discussed it?”

During these repeated meetings, my uncle said only the bare minimum. He never brought up any topics for discussion. The ones who spoke loudest in his faction were those at the bottom. That made his objective all the more obvious. He wanted to drive me into a corner and use Elianna’s safety as bait to lure me into proposing a deal with him. That was likely what he’d been waiting for, biding his time until I came groveling. Sadly, as he should have known from the beginning, I wasn’t quite so obedient.

When I was younger, he offered numerous times to grant me safe shelter from the previous queen’s faction. I need only agree to marry his daughter or the princess of the Miseral Dukedom, to whom he was distantly related. Given the delicate balance of power between the nobles and the political environment at the time, my father rebuffed him. I began snuffing out such engagement talks before they ever saw the light of day, once I was old enough to do so. After all, I’d already met Elianna by that time.

My uncle was surely infuriated that I wouldn’t bend to his will. I always greeted him with a smile on my face, but this power struggle had been going on between us for years. Even as he boldly claimed a seat without my invitation, he kept a mask on his face, not betraying any emotion. The way he conducted himself might lead one to believe this was his room, not mine. I could at least begrudgingly respect his boldness.

“It’s something I thought too delicate to discuss with the other cabinet members, Your Highness.” He smiled haughtily, as if expecting me to be grateful for his consideration.

As I reflexively returned his smile, I realized that my uncle had, inadvertently, played a large role in shaping me into the man I was.

“If it’s too delicate to bring up in front of the others, it sounds quite serious. I’m afraid I haven’t the faintest clue what you could be hinting at. Is there something you want to confide in me?” I asked.

Not only was he the regional lord controlling Kelk Harbor, the western gateway into Sauslind, my uncle also had deep ties with the Miseral Dukedom, making him an expert on open sea trade. I had been keeping somewhat of an eye on oversea trade since the incident at the Autumn Hunting Festival. It was clear someone didn’t think fondly of us developing diplomatic ties with Maldura and had no compunction about taking action to ensure we failed.

There was also movement in the Miseral Dukedom, primarily in relation to sea trade. That was where my search collided with former princess Mireille’s, who was looking into the accidental death of her husband. The two of us managed to swap information before the end of the year, and every lead I followed since brought me to one person: Uncle Greig. I knew he wouldn’t go down easily.

After a brief pause, my uncle nodded. “Of course, as I mentioned, this is a delicate matter. I would like to keep it confidential.”

I furrowed my brows and began to clench my fists as he continued.

“Prince Christopher, allow me to say how proud I am that you have decided to fulfill your duty this time during our country’s hour of need. Especially since, ah, ‘unfortunate news’ has made its way to you.”

His malice was clear by the way he emphasized “this time.” No doubt he was referring to last autumn when I cut my duties short to save Elianna from danger. That wasn’t an option for me this time, since the king was unconscious and I was temporarily taking his place. No matter how much I might want to ride out and confirm her safety for myself, my hands were tied. Calling the report about Elianna being missing “unfortunate news” was just his way of trying to get under my skin.

Glen wore his emotions on his sleeve, scowling at my uncle. As for me, I shot an icy glare his way.

There was only one person who would target her and take action without hesitation.

Even as my anger began to spill out, my uncle remained composed. He spoke as if he had complete faith in his view of the world, as if him being incorrect was unthinkable.

“However, Your Highness, there is an even greater duty you owe the kingdom right now. One I’m afraid you have neglected.” As I drew my brows, he mumbled under his breath just loud enough for me to hear, “Or rather I suppose you have purposefully overlooked it.”

“I fear I don’t understand what you’re alluding to, Uncle.”

“Prince Christopher...” He spoke in a voice that would brook no dissent; not because he was trying to give me the “tough love” one might expect from family, but because he was needling me to obey.

Now that I thought about it, Uncle Odin always spoke to me using “Your Highness” or “Prince Christopher.” Never did he use an affectionate nickname for me as Uncle Theodore did. Even if I hadn’t already guessed what he was about to say, the false politeness he used when speaking my name was a telltale sign.

“Now that His Majesty has fallen ill, the royal family’s survival is at stake. You’re the only direct descendant right now. As the crown prince and a member of the royal family, it’s your duty to see that your royal blood continues. Or am I mistaken?”

My blood immediately ran cold. So he was behind all those rumors on the streets.

The door abruptly cracked open, as if whomever was entering had consulted my uncle and timed their entrance to match his words. It was a woman, dressed not in the normal florid dresses she wore in the afternoon or the plainclothes she wore downtown, but an evening gown that accentuated her feminine silhouette.

My cousin, Pharmia Odin, had the same dark reddish-brown hair as her father, but those hazel eyes that were normally so quiet and modest now filled with determination. She looked straight at me, face drawn tight with tension. As she spoke, she echoed the words of the prominent conservatives in Sauslind, who thought of the royal family foremost.

“Your Highness, it’s your duty to continue the royal line.”

~.~.~.~

At first, I wasn’t as suspicious of Jean as I should have been. I assumed he had returned with the others from the hunt, saw the fire, and immediately ran in to save my book for me.

As embers danced through the air, I started to hurry toward him, but Rei shot a hand out to stop me. I drew my brows at him, but as I followed Rei’s gaze, I spotted a figure on the floor cradling their arm.

“Lord Alan!”

With Rei holding me back, all I could do was watch.

Jean held the book in one hand, but in his other...

Why is he holding a knife? And why is it dripping with blood?

“Jean...?” I croaked out.

I expected him to reply the way he always did. To say, “M’lady, your precious book here was seconds away from turnin’ to ash.” But instead, he ignored me, tossing the text into the flames.

That book was all the research Dr. Furness had left behind about a cure for the Ashen Nightmare. No matter how terrible a person he might have been or what discord might have existed between him and Dr. Hester, he was still her father. That book was a culmination of his life’s work—Furya’s Jar.

I gaped, air whistling past my teeth in a silent cry.

Lord Alan also reached his hand toward it, but Jean’s blade whipped through the air, forcing him back.

“Jean,” Lord Alan choked out, face painted in despair and anger. “So, you are the traitor after all...”

The words passed right through my ears, as if my brain couldn’t comprehend their meaning. In the blink of an eye, the book turned to mere ash as the flames spread. The way they grew was unnatural, as if someone had sprinkled oil everywhere.

Jean’s eyes were colder than I had ever seen them before. He showed no mercy as he brought his blade down toward Lord Alan, freezing only when Mabel’s earsplitting scream reverberated through the house. There were other voices as well, calling for me. Somewhere, people were battling, steel clashing against steel.

Rei finally broke out of his paralysis and leaped through the flames, yanking his sword out before standing between Jean and Lord Alan. The two traded blows two or three times. When Rei stumbled because of the flames, Jean took the opportunity to put some distance between them.

I had always thought of Jean as tall and lanky, perpetually tired, and completely unmotivated. He always seemed to have a blank look on his face too, but right now, his eyes were sharper and more focused than I’d ever seen them. It was almost as if he were a different person. A person I didn’t recognize.

“Jean?” Despite everything I had seen, all I could do was numbly call his name like a fool.

He finally turned his gaze back toward me. His face was full of determination—a determination to part ways with me. His actions spoke loud enough on their own, but then he said, “The dream is over, m’lady.”

Jean slowly turned his blade toward me.

“Jean, stop it!” Lord Alan bellowed.

I stood there frozen as he drew closer and closer, until a beam fell from the ceiling, engulfed in flames.

“Rei, where are you?!” Prince Irvin called from somewhere in the house.

“Over here!” Rei hollered back as he heaved Lord Alan up, helping him escape the fire raging around us.

My feet were rooted in place as I stared at Jean. He turned his back on me and disappeared, swallowed up by ember and smoke.

Although the building was beginning to crumble, Prince Irvin managed to slip in through the back and join us. “Rei, did something happen?!”

“The traitor showed himself. Looks like the princess’s manservant is on the enemy’s side. How did things go on your end?”

Prince Irvin clicked his tongue, scowling. “I thought something was up when I noticed him missing all of a sudden. We ran into some guys outside who were shooting flaming arrows at the house. They’ve already fled, though.”

“What about Mabel and the old woman?” Lord Alan asked.

“Already escorted them out of the house,” replied Prince Irvin. When he and Lord Alan realized I was zoning out, they both shouted over at me, ushering me to come along.

I could only stand there, eyes glued to the raging fire destroying everything in its path. Furya’s Jar was now nothing more than ash. Our hope of creating a cure for the Ashen Nightmare had been snuffed out with it. On top of that, Jean had cut ties with me, sided with the enemy, and even turned his sword on us.

The shock was so severe my mind went numb. The smoke and ash in the air stung my eyes as the flames drew closer, but my legs were stiff as board, unmoving.

“Hey, Bibliophile Princess!” Prince Irvin sent Lord Alan and Rei on ahead while he barked at me. But for all his urging, I remained there like a statue. “Elianna!”

I flinched when he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward him. His pitch-black eyes seemed to pierce right through me.

“Get a hold of yourself. It’s not over yet.”

The strength in his gaze was like a spark that brought me back to life. Finally, the paralysis subsided, and with it gone, the reality of the situation came rushing in at me. Smoke flooded my lungs, leaving me coughing and gagging.

Prince Irvin wrapped an arm over my head as he escorted me out of the burning building, shielding me from the falling embers. Somehow, we managed to escape with our lives.

By the time we made it out, the blizzard had stopped. I collapsed into the snow on my hands and knees. My throat felt like it was on fire at first, but as I took a gulp of the cold night air, the sudden change in temperature had me choking again.

“Lady Elianna!” Mabel rushed to my side and stroked my back.

Once I caught my breath, I assured her I was okay and asked after well-being. She was covered in soot and had a few light burns, but overall she was all right. Relief washed over me. At the edge of my vision, I noticed our guide standing there supporting Dr. Hester. Lord Gene was beside them. Rei was also nearby, doing some basic first aid to stop Lord Alan’s wound from bleeding.

The people who had shot the flaming arrows at the house were long gone by now. As reassuring as it was that everyone had survived, there was a notable absence from our group. The shock of Jean’s betrayal gripped my heart.

Snowflakes danced all around us as flames continued to consume the house. As much as we might want to combat the fire, it had already spread too far. All we could do now was watch as the building crumbled away.

Prince Irvin scooped up his thick mantle, which he must have discarded in the snow when he dashed inside the building, and draped it over my shoulders. “Let’s go back to the town for now.” His words finally prompted everyone to start moving, although the atmosphere that settled over us was bleak.

At the realization that all of our hard work had been for naught, exhaustion swept over me.

~.~.~.~

My horse fled during the fire, so we had no choice but to give up on it. The only remaining one we had was restless from all of the excitement. Once we were far enough away from the fire for it to settle down, we put Lord Alan and Dr. Hester on its back and made our way down the mountain.

By the time we returned to Hersche, the sun was already setting. Crowds of people were beginning to settle down at the dining tables inside our inn. The innkeeper was horrified by the state we were in, but his shock was twofold upon seeing that we’d brought the witch with us.

Prince Irvin gave him a brief explanation of what had happened. Expression grim, the man nodded and said he’d contact the village’s militia about putting the fire out. He also promised to have someone check the mountain to make sure the damage didn’t spread.

We carried Dr. Hester to a room and put her in bed. Lord Gene stayed close by her side while our guide disappeared to retrieve some medicine. The innkeeper allowed those of us who remained (except for the injured Lord Alan) to have first priority in using the steam baths.

Mabel was no less shocked than I was after I told her everything that had happened, but she was quick to compose herself and attend to me. Despite having been through the same awful events, she displayed such courage that it left me in awe. Her attitude was encouraging. Although we had yet to solve anything, I reminded myself now wasn’t the time to lose my nerve.

We washed the smoke and the soot from our bodies and enjoyed a small break before heading off to dinner. I managed to force some food down my throat even though I lacked any appetite. Once we were finished, Mabel and I headed to Dr. Hester’s room to check in on how she was doing.

Lord Gene was there at the door to greet us. He was less friendly than I remembered, his eyes now suspicious and guarded. “She’s asleep right now.” He didn’t say the words out loud, but his body language seemed to shout, Stay away.

Our visit to the old witch’s house had put an even greater burden on her already weakened heart, and worse yet, she had lost her house in the process, too.

I sucked in a breath and lowered my head. On the way down from the mountain, Lord Alan finally explained what he’d kept hidden all this time: Prince Christopher suspected there was a traitor close to me leaking information to our enemies.

“We had no idea who it was. Prince Chris investigated everyone: Lady Lilia, Lady Therese, Duchess Rosalia, and even Alexei.”

I swallowed hard. Lord Alexei Strasser was the prince’s right-hand man, but His Highness had still investigated him. My chest tightened. This made me rethink everything. Lord Alexei was currently third in line for the throne. His Highness must have considered all kinds of possibilities, putting his personal feelings aside as he investigated and crossed off unlikely suspects. The crown demanded that kind of emotionless calculation.

Prince Irvin scoffed. “What, Court Musician, so he didn’t even consider the possibility that you might be the culprit?” His tone was sarcastic, but he shot a sharp look at Lord Alan. The latter only gave a forced chuckle.

“Until Prince Chris picked me up off the streets, I was an orphan pickpocketing and thieving in one of Sauslind’s port cities. Of course, he did have me thoroughly investigated before I started working for him. But I have no connection to the nobility, and I’m not like the royal family’s Shadows, who were trained from a young age.”

“The royal family’s Shadows?” I mumbled.

Lord Alan promptly explained. The family’s personal guard protected them in public, while another elite group called Shadows watched over them and did their bidding behind the scenes. When the prince couldn’t be with me himself, he made sure some of his Shadows were with me.

The first thing that came to mind when Lord Alan mentioned that was the Autumn Hunting Festival last year. I recalled someone darting out of the shadows to fight those thugs. The same had happened a few days ago when we were under attack. The name Shadows fit them perfectly.

“However,” Lord Alan continued, his voice growing grim, “something has been off with them lately. Messages from Prince Chris haven’t been coming through. And there were far fewer of them with us than there were supposed to be.”

“Hm, sounds about right.” Prince Irvin grunted. “When Lady Elianna’s carriage was attacked, we were following your group from a different path and saw some of it play out. The enemy orchestrated it so they could separate her from the Black Wing Knights, and when your prince’s Shadows rode in to help combat them, there weren’t very many of them.”

I took in a shaky breath, chest still tight with shock. Jean was one of the royal family’s Shadows. He’d been guarding me secretly all this time. So why had he betrayed me now? A heavy weight bore down on my heart.

Guilt flickered in Lord Alan’s eyes as he said, “If only I’d suspected him sooner.”

Lord Alan had been the one watching over me ever since I became engaged to the prince. In the process, he had a lot of interaction with Jean. It must have been difficult for him to suspect Jean after all the time they spent together. Especially since he tried to confront Jean and protect Dr. Furness’s research notes, only to be injured in the process.

I silently shook my head. All I could say was, “It’s not your fault, Lord Alan.”

As I reflected on that conversation, I apologized to Lord Gene once again for dragging him into this and putting him in danger. He and his grandmother already had ill ties with the royal family, and now they were falling victim all over again because of us.

“I am truly sorry,” I said.

Mabel gaped as I stood there with my head bowed. Although she might disapprove of my actions, I felt compelled to show that my feelings were sincere.

Lord Gene’s lips cracked open, but before he could speak, a cough echoed in the room behind him. He briefly peered over his shoulder before turning his gaze to Mabel. “You have medical knowledge, right? Look after my grandma.”

She smoothed out her facial features and nodded before slipping in past him. Concerned, I tried to follow her inside, but Lord Gene blocked my way. He sneered at me as if I were the harbinger of misfortune. His eyes said everything that his mouth wouldn’t: If it weren’t for you, none of this would have happened.

Mabel hurriedly called over her shoulder, “Lady Elianna, please go stay with Lord Irvin and the others.” No sooner did she finish her sentence than the door was slammed in my face.

Dejected, I tottered back toward the cafeteria. It was along the way that I froze upon hearing some voices.

“You’re telling me General Bakula of the Black Wing Knights is dead?!”

“Seriously?!” someone shrieked.

“Shh!” hushed another.

It was a group of miners.

“I heard the patrol talking amongst themselves.” They were speaking in low voices, no doubt because the content of the conversation was so shocking. “Two or three days ago, there was a large scale manhunt in Roxas Pass. Turns out the prince’s betrothed was attacked there, and General Bakula lost his life in the process. His Highness’s bride-to-be is still missing, though, so the patrol was out there searching for her.”

“You sure about this?” asked someone, gulping hard. It was obvious from their reaction just how much General Bakula meant to the people of Ralshen. He was a hero who had protected them during the Continental Highway War forty years ago. Grandpa Teddy also attended the memorial service every year. On top of that, he set up his group of knights in Ralshen and continued protecting our eastern border.

“Yep, I’m sure,” someone answered in a whisper, their voice heavy with emotion. “Looks like the palace is holding back the official announcement, but the patrol guys were in pretty low spirits and shocked by the loss.”

A heavy silence settled over them, but the next murmur was filled with anger.

“What about the culprit?”

“It’s gotta be Maldura, right?”

“No idea,” the man giving all the details replied. Despite the lack of evidence, their animosity and fury toward Maldura only mounted.

“I’d like to ask,” hissed one of them, “why the prince’s fiancée was even there in the first place.”

“Not sure if it’s true or not, but I heard she was trying to take medical supplies to the village near Mt. Urma when she got attacked.”

There was a brief, confused silence, as if they couldn’t comprehend someone from the royal family doing such a thing. It was a clear demonstration of how little the people around here trusted us.

“No one can say for sure.”

“Yeah, but General Bakula protected her with his life, right? They haven’t found a body, so she’s gotta be alive. For her to still be missing must mean she ran away. Not surprising. She’s one of those daughters of high nobility. Probably got scared by the Ashen Nightmare and took off.”

“Oh yeah,” said another, as if suddenly remembering something, “speaking of daughters of high nobility, you guys know a bunch of people have been going to the capital lately, right? Seems like there’s a noble girl there who’s been handing out fruit to help prevent the plague. She’s not scared of it in the least. They’re all calling her the ‘Lady Saint’ now.”

“Huh, really?” replied a man who sounded genuinely impressed.

“Both girls are nobility but completely different.”

“What’s this one’s name?”

I continued hovering close to the entrance of the main room where food was being served. The more I listened, the more the darkness seemed to swallow my vision.

“I think they said the girl is Duke Odin’s daughter. I heard that because this plague is sweeping the country, she’s already gotten with the prince and is pregnant with his child.”

“Hah. Well, they do say the royal family’s blood is precious, I guess,” one of them scoffed.

The conversation continued, but I couldn’t bring myself to eavesdrop anymore. My unsteady legs carried me back to my room. I shut the door, effectively sealing off the presence of the other people in the building, and crumbled to my knees. My heart was hammering in my chest. I still hadn’t completely digested what was happening, and now I had to balance that with all this new information.

The day I left the capital, I was determined to fulfill my role. I swore to myself I would do a magnificent job as the prince’s betrothed, to show I was worthy of being by his side. Instead, the unforeseen had happened in succession, and I made the decision to go to the village near Mt. Urma. But was that a mistake?

Perhaps what I should have done was listen to Lord Alexei and rush back to the capital. Then I could have supported the prince as he navigated this disaster. Maybe rushing in to quell a revolt when I couldn’t even protect myself from danger really was foolish after all. If I had obediently returned to the capital, Grandpa Teddy might not have lost his life. Jean might not have betrayed me.

And the prince might not have welcomed Lady Pharmia into his arms!

A muted sob clawed its way up from my throat. I knew I couldn’t believe hearsay. This wasn’t the first time I had been led by the nose thanks to some rumors. The prince promised me when I left the capital that I was his only queen. Still, I couldn’t erase my own anxiety. His Majesty had fallen ill and the royal line was in danger. Thanks to reading history books, I knew how rulers typically chose to see their blood continued. There was no guarantee that Prince Christopher was an exception. He was currently facing a national crisis, one that required him to suspect everyone around him—even his right-hand man, Lord Alexei. He had to be emotionally exhausted. I had no doubt that Lady Pharmia could be there for him in his time of need and support him. That was just the kind of person she was.

It wasn’t that I doubted the prince’s feelings for me; I held his promise close in my heart. The issue was that I had failed to carry out the duty he entrusted to me, losing Furya’s Jar and our only clue to finding a cure in the process. Right now, I questioned whether or not I really deserved to be at his side. I had accomplished nothing. At this point, I was nothing more than a regular bibliophile.

Tears began to well up as my emotions spun out of control, but then a knock sounded at the door.

“El, you in there?” It was Prince Irvin’s voice.

I quickly wiped away my tears, but before I could scramble off the floor, the door swung open and smacked me in the head with a loud crack.

“Oh, sorry...” He hesitated. “Uh, but why are you crouched down there on the floor in the first place?” After closing the door, he knelt down beside me and peered into my face. Almost immediately he seemed to sense what was going on. “Aha...” He shifted, seating himself beside me before suddenly reaching a hand out. His palm pressed down on my head, far gentler than I would have expected. “It must have really hurt, but don’t worry, the pain will go away soon enough.”

Although he was talking about the bump on my head, I got the sense he was trying to comfort the pain I was feeling on the inside. He must have realized I was hurting in the wake of Jean’s betrayal and all the other information that had come our way. Normally, he was so sarcastic about everything, always teasing people, but the shift in his attitude coaxed me into lowering my guard.

If I tried to say anything right now, I was sure my emotions would come spilling out. Instead, I silently sat there as he continued to stroke my head. As I fought to blink back the tears, he joked, “You can cry if you want. I’ll keep it a secret from the prince.”

My heart jumped into my throat. For as dense as I normally was, those words were enough to alarm me. I started to pull away, but as if on instinct, he yanked me back. An unfamiliar scent flooded my nose. I tried to struggle and escape, but his words made me freeze.

“You worked really hard. Don’t worry about what those no names out there have to say. I watched you. I know how much effort you put in. Stop acting tough and lean on me a bit.” The implication was, Stop trying to do everything by yourself.

As the prince’s betrothed, I felt like I had to do something to stop the budding war with Maldura, quell the uprising near the Mt. Urma mines, and discover a cure for the plague ravaging our lands. I was desperate to solve all those problems, and yet I’d failed spectacularly.

I felt pathetic, but Prince Irvin was acknowledging all of my efforts. The tears I’d been holding back welled up.

“You really are a stubborn one, which I wouldn’t have guessed at first just by looking at you,” he said as he loosened his arm around me.

That was where I made my mistake: I lifted my head up. Those black eyes peered down at me, seeming to break right through my defenses.

“Elianna, come to Maldura.”

This time when my pulse quickened, I was keenly aware of it. The only people who ever said my name without attaching a “Lady” at the front were my close family, relatives, and...

Prince Irvin caressed my cheek. The heat of his fingertips was so feverish it threatened to swallow my heart. He had a feral look about him that inspired fear, but right now his expression was so soft.

I gulped.

“I would never leave you alone like this. I would never let you cry by yourself, Elianna. I want to steal you away.” His arms tightened around me, pulling me close. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him.

And that was when I realized something.

Whenever I was in danger or in a tight spot, I could always hear the prince calling to me. But not this time. His voice was being overwritten by the one that now echoed in my ears.

“Elianna.”

Prince Irvin’s foreign scent tickled my nose.

A blizzard had started up again outside, and the whole inn shook from the force of the wind. Right now, I felt like I was out in the middle of it, lost in the snow. Never again would I be able to conjure the image of the prince’s eyes—ones that so resembled a clear blue, sunny sky. I would be forever imprisoned in the cold of winter, dreaming of a spring that would never come.