Back at the capital – the storm still hadn’t stopped.
From the northern tower, far from the warmth of the Queen’s wing or the safety of the Prince’s quarters, a palace guard watched the lightning strike across the hilltops. He adjusted his soaked helmet and blinked at a flicker he thought he saw far in the distance.
Torches.
Moving torches.
Through the trees.
He leaned forward but the rain blinded him. Still, his gut tightened.
“Something’s coming,” he muttered, just as the thunder cracked again.
But no one would hear him.
Not yet.
And by the time they did…
The trap would already be closing.
*****
Abby’s POV – “Betrayal and Beasts”
I hadn’t slept in days.
The scent of old parchment, scorched herbs, and dried roses filled my chamber—an unsettling blend of magic and memory. Scr
