Chapter Three: The Things She Remembered
1300 Words
The royal court smelled like roses and lies.
Selene stood silently beside the towering windows of the grand assembly chamber while nobles flooded the hall dressed in silk, jewels, and false smiles. Laughter echoed beneath the crystal chandeliers overhead as servants poured wine into golden cups.
Every face around her belonged to someone who had once betrayed her.
And none of them knew she remembered.
The realization almost made her smile.
Lord Cassian Veritus entered first, draped in dark blue robes stitched with silver thread. The elderly noble bowed deeply before Lucien, appearing every bit the loyal royal advisor.
Selene’s gaze hardened instantly.
Cassian had testified against her during the trial.
She still remembered his voice clearly.
“The queen has become unstable.”
Such simple words.
Yet they helped send her to the execution platform.
Beside him walked Duchess Marian Holt—the same woman who spread rumors claiming Selene practiced f*******n magic after Orion died. Behind her came Lord Hadrian, whose hands once wandered too freely whenever Lucien left the capital for war.
Monsters.
Every single one of them.
And they smiled at her as though they were friends.
“My future queen,” Duchess Marian greeted warmly. “You look absolutely divine tonight.”
Selene returned the smile perfectly.
“Thank you, Duchess.”
The older woman relaxed immediately, completely unaware that Selene vividly remembered ordering Marian’s execution in her first life during the civil war.
Ironically, she had regretted it afterward.
Now she realized she should have done it sooner.
Music drifted softly through the chamber as nobles continued gathering around the royal family. Conversations blended together into meaningless noise.
Trade agreements.
Military expansion.
Wedding blessings.
Political alliances.
Selene listened carefully while pretending disinterest.
Because this time, every word mattered.
She already knew where the kingdom would fracture in the future.
Which territories would rebel.
Which noble houses secretly funded enemy nations.
Which council members planned to poison Lucien within three years.
Information was power.
And Selene now possessed five years’ worth of it.
A dangerous advantage.
“You’re quiet tonight.”
Lucien’s voice appeared beside her unexpectedly.
Selene glanced toward him calmly.
The Alpha King stood close enough for her to catch the faint scent of pine and steel clinging to his clothes. Once, that scent comforted her.
Now it only reminded her of cold palace halls and lonely nights.
“I’m observing,” she replied.
Lucien studied her expression carefully.
Again.
He had spent the entire evening watching her from across the hall.
Selene noticed every glance.
And so did the court.
Whispers had already begun spreading among the nobles.
The future queen seemed…different.
Lucien lowered his voice slightly. “You’ve barely spoken to anyone.”
“I didn’t realize silence was a crime.”
A flicker of irritation crossed his face.
There it was.
Lucien hated feeling out of control.
And right now, Selene was giving him nothing.
No affection.
No warmth.
No reassurance.
Only distance.
The king stepped closer.
“You’ve avoided looking at me all evening.”
Selene finally met his eyes fully.
Silver against silver.
Two wolves staring at each other beneath royal masks.
“You’re mistaken,” she said softly. “I’ve looked at you plenty.”
The strange thing was—
She meant it.
Ever since waking in the past, she couldn’t stop seeing him.
Lucien standing beside Evelyne during her execution.
Lucien holding Orion’s small coffin.
Lucien arriving too late.
Always too late.
Something dark moved behind her eyes for a split second.
Lucien noticed.
His instincts sharpened instantly.
“What happened to you?” he asked quietly.
The question almost shattered her composure.
Because he sounded sincere.
As though he truly wanted to understand.
But where was that concern when she begged him to believe her?
Where was this attention when she cried herself to sleep after Orion died?
The bitterness inside her chest twisted violently.
Selene smiled faintly.
“Perhaps I finally grew tired of pretending.”
Before Lucien could respond, laughter erupted across the hall.
Lady Evelyne had become the center of attention among several noblewomen. Golden-haired and radiant beneath the chandelier lights, she looked every bit the perfect court beauty.
Selene watched her carefully.
Evelyne laughed gracefully while accepting compliments from the nobles around her. Anyone observing her would see elegance and kindness.
Not the calculating predator hidden beneath.
Selene remembered the poison bottle.
The secret meetings.
The forged letters.
Evelyne destroyed her piece by piece while smiling sweetly the entire time.
And Lucien never saw it.
Because he trusted too easily when it came to people he favored.
A servant approached the royal table carrying silver goblets of wine.
Selene’s eyes immediately locked onto the tray.
Her pulse slowed.
Memory crashed into her violently.
Winter banquet.
Three years from now.
A poisoned drink prepared for Lucien.
In the original timeline, Selene noticed too late.
The poison had nearly killed him.
She remembered staying awake beside his bed for seven days while royal physicians fought to keep him alive.
And when he finally recovered?
He thanked the council.
Not her.
Selene stared at the wine glasses coldly.
The servant stopped before Lucien respectfully.
“My king.”
Lucien reached for a goblet.
Selene moved instantly.
Her hand caught his wrist before he touched the drink.
The entire hall went silent.
Lucien looked down at her in surprise.
Selene’s grip tightened slightly.
“Don’t drink that.”
The servant’s face immediately drained of color.
Lucien frowned. “Why?”
Because it’s poisoned.
The words nearly escaped her lips.
Selene forced herself to remain calm.
Too dangerous.
She couldn’t reveal what she knew yet.
Not without exposing herself.
Still holding his wrist, she looked toward the trembling servant slowly.
“You seem nervous,” she observed.
The servant swallowed hard.
“N-No, my lady.”
Selene smiled.
“Really?”
The room’s atmosphere shifted instantly.
Several nobles exchanged uncertain glances.
Lucien’s gaze sharpened.
The servant suddenly dropped to his knees.
“Forgive me!”
Gasps erupted across the hall.
Selene’s eyes darkened.
There it was.
Fear.
Guilt.
Lucien’s voice turned lethal. “Explain.”
The servant trembled violently. “I-I only followed orders—”
Before he could finish speaking, something flashed across the room.
A blade.
Selene’s instincts reacted immediately.
“Down!”
She shoved Lucien backward just as a throwing knife sliced through the air.
The blade buried itself into the servant’s throat.
Blood exploded across the marble floor.
Screams erupted.
Chaos swallowed the hall instantly.
Nobles panicked while guards rushed forward with weapons drawn. The servant collapsed choking on blood before dying within seconds.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Terrible silence.
Selene stared toward the upper balcony where the assassin had stood.
Gone.
Of course.
Professional.
Lucien rose slowly beside her, fury radiating from his body like wildfire.
“Seal the palace,” he ordered coldly. “No one leaves.”
Guards immediately scattered throughout the hall.
Meanwhile, the nobles stared at Selene with growing shock.
Because she reacted before anyone else.
Almost as if—
She expected the attack.
Lucien turned toward her slowly.
His silver eyes searched her face carefully.
“How did you know?”
Danger.
Selene recognized it immediately.
She had been careless.
For one brief second, her memories controlled her actions.
And Lucien noticed.
The king stepped closer.
“Selene.”
His voice lowered dangerously.
“How did you know the wine was poisoned?”
The entire hall waited for her answer.
Selene remained perfectly calm despite the tension tightening around her throat.
Then she looked directly into Lucien’s eyes.
And lied beautifully.
“Call it intuition.”
But deep inside, for the first time since returning to the past—
Selene realized something terrifying.
Changing fate would not be simple.
Because fate was already beginning to notice her.
- Writer
