The council chamber fell silent the moment the royal adviser rose to speak.
"By the terms of Alpha King Cassius Voss's will," he announced, unrolling a fresh scroll before the gathered lords, "Princess Elena Voss must complete her marriage to Logan Westwood before the next full moon, or forfeit her claim to the throne entirely, passing succession to the ruling council's selection among eligible lords."
Elena's hands tightened against the arms of her throne. "That deadline was never specified clearly before."
"It was specified in the original will, Princess," the adviser said. "Buried within the formal clauses, easy to overlook amid the larger announcement of succession itself. I apologize for not raising it sooner. The full moon arrives in eleven days."
Eleven days. Elena felt the numb
