Chapter 33
Elara’s POV
The palace walls were suffocating me.
Every whisper echoed, every corridor seemed lined with eyes waiting to measure me, weigh me, tear me down. The nobles could sneer and question, but I knew where my battle truly lay—not in their gilded chambers, but in the streets, in the markets, in the hearts of the people.
If I was Elyra, rightful heir, then I could not remain hidden behind tapestries and guards. The people had to see me. They had to feel me.
So when dawn broke, I asked Lucien for permission to walk among them.
At first, his silence was heavier than any denial. He simply stared at me, his jaw clenched tight, the flicker of something dangerous in his eyes. Then he asked, too softly, “Do you want to live, Elara?”
I didn’t flinch. “I want to rule. And if I
