Riley POV
Morning mist clung to the McKinnley estate like a veil, soft and cold against my skin as I walked the winding garden paths. The world felt muted — dew soaking the earth, fog curling low around the hedges, the sun fighting to break through the haze.
But even the quiet couldn’t settle my mind.
A prophecy.
Royal blood.
A destiny carved long before Alex and I ever took our first breaths.
The weight of it pressed on my shoulders with every step.
As I rounded a bend, the mist parted enough to reveal the pond — still as glass, reflecting streaks of pale gold as the sun slowly climbed. I stopped at the edge, letting the silence wrap around me. Here, at least, the world didn’t demand anything from me.
My fingers brushed the bracelet on my wrist. Dad had given it to me — a symbol o
