The late afternoon sunlight rushed into Jess’s chambers, accentuating the golden lacing of her gown as she stood before the tall mirror. Marion, her assistant, worked quickly, finding up the back of the dress while Jess stood motionless, her mind completely elsewhere.
Tonight would be her first public event outside of the palace as the Queen, a chance to show every the presence she carried while silencing the whispers that continued to question her place. But instead of feeling excited, she felt dreadful in her chest.
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she replayed the events from the previous night. The door closed as King Luca, her mate, left to meet with Athena; immediately, he was summoned. His promise to “come back soon’ was just a lie that she should never have believed, and his
