The door to my chambers slammed shut behind me, the heavy lock clicking into place. My breath came in short, uneven gasps as I turned, staring at the walls that now felt more like a prison than ever before.
I couldn’t stay here. Not when I was so close to the truth. Not when Bella was poisoning my father’s mind against me. If I stayed, she would win—and I couldn’t let that happen.
I forced myself to breathe, to think. The castle guards would be stationed outside, watching every exit. If I wanted to escape, I had to be smarter than them.
On the other side was the balcony, the ivy-covered walls of the castle had always been an annoyance to the royal groundskeepers, but to me, they were an opportunity. Steeling myself, I hurried to the open balcony doors, glancing down. The drop was steep,
