My body trembled as Lucian's words began to sink in.
“H-how?” I stammered, my eyes silently pleading for him to explain further.
He smirked before continuing. “Twenty years ago, back when the old Lord Protector of Kessler was still alive, Hadrian lived the life of a young master. Women adored him; many belonged to him. He could’ve practically bathed in the blood of those he marked. But everything changed when he fell in love with one woman and started dismissing the others.”
“It sounds like a romantic story,” I murmured, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. Despite myself, a dull ache spread through my chest, jealousy blooming for the woman he had once loved.
“It was, and it was also a scandal,” Lucian sighed. “He rejected the daughter of the Warden of Fenn and openly declared his intent
