The conversation with Queen Mother Rose left a sour taste in my mouth. The revelations, the weight of her words about Alden being my second oldest brother, and the mystery surrounding my eldest had settled deep in my chest, twisting my thoughts into knots I couldn’t untangle. I needed clarity, a reprieve from the uncertainty that seemed to cling to everything in this castle.
But more than that, I needed to see someone—anyone—who remained constant. Someone who wasn’t lying or keeping dark secrets from me. Marcus, my husband, the king. He might have been in a deep sleep, but at least I could find comfort in knowing he was there, unmoving, untouched by all the deception that plagued these halls. If I couldn’t control anything else, maybe I could control this one small thing—seeing him as he
