Andrea’s POV
The moon hung low that night, its silver light spilling through the tall windows of my chamber like melted glass.
The corridors had gone quiet after the endless stream of guests and whispers, but their words still echoed in my head… “The Queen of the North,” “the chosen of Ryzon,” “the perfect match.”
I sat before the mirror, hair unpinned, the heavy crown now resting on my vanity table like a burden that refused to let me breathe. The jewels on it glimmered faintly, but even they looked tired, as if sharing my exhaustion.
Everyone had bowed, smiled, offered gifts and praises… and yet, the one moment that stuck with me, the one that clawed at my chest, was when Ryzon stood in front of the crowd, his voice cutting through the hall like a blade.
“Andrea is mine,” he had sa
