Third person POV
Before Ethan could regain consciousness from the stone Emily had thrown at him, she was long gone — lost in the darkness of the woods that surrounded the palace grounds.
His fingers came away sticky with blood as he touched the gash on his forehead. The throbbing pain was dull compared to the rage burning in his chest. Emily had escaped, and worse — she had defied him. Not just as a prince, but as a man used to being in control.
But his fury didn't cloud his thoughts. No, it sharpened them.
“I know what to do,” Ethan muttered under his breath, staggering to his feet. “I'm going to make it look like Damien stole her.”
As he limped down the marble hallway, every servant who saw the blood trickling down his face asked in alarm, “Your Highness, what happened to your head?
