ine

ed out as I pushed o

onblossoms. The sheer press of the crowd nearly sent me to my knees, but I gritted my teeth, digging my nails

's carriage, but I fou

through the opening. At its h

ld stone, his eyes as empty and desolate as a frozen lake in midwinter. Though he was seated, his legs hid

him. Ax

was real, and the reality was a thousand times more devastating. He wasn't j

ors, were seven coffins, each draped in the da

en, hardened warriors and simple merchants alike, droppe

tepped forward. He tried to direct Axel toward the court for

ook at him. He sim

coffins up in the open square, directly in front of King's Gat

ens on the uncomfortable official. It became an unspoken accusat

what was happening. Axel wasn't para

urn the world down to get his revenge. The realization sent a chill down my spine th

s carriage, which had halted quietly at the edge of the crowd moments prior-swung open its door. Father stepped down from the carriage

ame are you doing here? You sh

y thoughts. His face flickered with a tangled mix of fiery f

desperate. "Father, we ca

le, frail face. "Addy, the Boyle family has suffered a terr

estured to the kneeling crowd, to the faces filled with sorrow and respect. "Do you see where their he

nking of me, of my fragile future. He hadn't consid

aining steady strength. "Even crippled, he is the Alpha

ersonal desire regarding this arranged marriag

anced from me to the seven draped coffins, then to the silent man in the

lic opinion, the Alpha King's representative relented. The Boyle proc

ore. As they passed the spot where my father and I stood, Axel's head turned slight

reserves for a stranger, a trivial piece of the background scenery. There was no hint of rec

steady, refusing to look away. In that moment, I was no longer the sickly, frail daughter of Du

e. He swept his gaze over the mourning crowd, the seven solemn coffins, and

t's go

looded every inch of me. It was no formal promise, but it was a