Elara Pov
They separated us in the courtyard, guards dragging Kael one direction while others pushed me toward the throne room.
"Wait," I shouted, trying to pull free.
"He needs a healer, he's dying."
"The beast will be taken care of," the captain said.
Which wasn't reassuring at all, "the king wants to see you first."
I watched them haul Kael away, his body limp between two guards, heading toward the dungeons.
"For everyone's safety," one of them muttered, like he was some kind of monster they needed to cage.
The throne room doors opened and I was shoved inside.
The last time I'd been here was the day they told me about the marriage arrangement.
The day my whole life changed, now I was back but everything felt wrong, colder somehow.
My father sat on his throne and I barely reco
