Raven’s POV
The palace was suffocating.
Days passed in a blur, each one stretching longer than the last. I barely left my room, only slipping out when I was sure no one would see me.
Not that it mattered.
No one was looking for me.
They hadn’t left.
They were still here. Somewhere in this massive place, grieving their father, dealing with politics, handling whatever chaos came with the death of a king.
I told myself that was why they hadn’t come.
They were busy. Distracted.
But deep down, I knew the truth.
They’d forgotten me.
Not once in the endless stretch of days did any of them come to check on me, not even to make sure I was alive.
It shouldn’t have hurt.
But it did.
The bond throbbed like an infected wound, the connection still pulsing beneath my skin, a constant remind
