Daniel’s POV
The morning sun streamed through my window, but instead of feeling free, I felt trapped. The palace, once a place of opportunity, had become a gilded cage.
Arthur had decreed that I was not to leave the palace grounds without his permission. And the guards must be with me at all times.
At first, I had thought it was just for precaution, a measure of protection after the assassination and kidnapping attempt, but now, the reality of it sank in: I was confined, restricted, being followed, and entirely under his control.
I ran my fingers over the edge of the table in my small quarters, feeling the rough wood beneath my palms, my thoughts spinning. I cannot stay like this. I cannot be locked in the palace like a prisoner. I have to figure out a way to survive… and maybe, just
