The royal palace had never felt so alive—and so dangerous.
To most, it was marble corridors and golden arches, ancient tapestries whispering victories of old. To Aria, it felt like something was watching. Not hunting yet. Just observing. Measuring breath, heartbeat, and intention.
She didn’t know why the unease clung to her skin like mist.
She didn’t know that five years ago, a man had walked into this palace with blood-stained
magic in his veins and a smile crafted to deceive kings.
But, she felt the presence of magic inside the palace walls, and she hid this fact from everyone because it wasn’t her place to tell them. Most royal families use magic for protection and to seal forbidden secrets of the ancestors, so she didn’t pry much, but she didn’t know it was going to cost her now
