ella

e was a labyrinth of gilded corridors and marble floors that echoed with the ghosts of a violent history. But unlike the trembling girl who h

m if you

dark mantra shielding me from t

g enough to seat thirty men. Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling like frozen tears, casting a cold, prismatic light over

reno, the Dowager Queen, her posture rigid, her gray hair coiffed into an intricate crown. Further down sat the vul

chair to Damien's left-th

over to whisper something to Lia, their gazes darting to my neck, likely

nfolding my napkin wit

e ceased abruptly. Sofia Moreno placed her fork down. The

said, her voice ra

e, assessing intelligence. Slowly, she began to twist the heavy gold ring on her rig

esca's fork hovered halfway to her m

er steps slow and heavy, until she stopped beside me. She held ou

your hand

just jewelry; it was a target. To wear this was to claim a th

at his mother; his obsidian eyes wer

, his voice a low rumble that vibr

, but it was al

ol as she slid the heavy band onto my ring fing

Sofia murmured, her eyes locking with mine for

, her face a mask of poorly concealed fury. She and Lia had spent years vying for influence, hoping to position their own dau

r knuckles white. A tight, synthetic smile st

with a sweetness that tasted of arseni

You must be so relieved, dear. To land on your feet like this a

e shadows. Francesca took a sip, savoring the tension s

glass down with a delicate clink. "Let alone an upgrade. It's quite the Cind

just called me a whore in the most polite way possible, st

creaking, a predator disturbed. But I di

y, a slow, rhythmic drum of war. She wanted me to cr

my chest. She thought she was twisting a knife