HINA'

r expression a mixture of terror and concern. She

d softly. "I need

d and slipped out of the room, cl

away. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my

ly how it had all begun-and exac

idence, our connections, even military information that should never have left my father's hands.

vernight. My father, beheaded. My brothers, slain in battle. My mother, Eleonora,

elen had done, there was almos

t family, was plundered by Kaelen and Jacqueline. It b

y Elara, had played their part, picking over the las

p the Croft family of whatever remained. And while I had once been too blind to see

t if fate ever gave me another chance, eve

ad that

st move wa

e me before he co

o House Sterling. In my previous life, I had treasured that parchment as proof that Kaelen and I

e corner of my own copy over the candle, and

icly. Before Kaelen had the chance t

len "reluctantly" broke our betrothal and demand

ecree before the entire family and end our engagement in front o

de. She took one look at the ash still clinging to my fi

ady,

re a formal decree of annulmen

f the head of the house and the elders... To annul it unilat

e mocked for ending a rotten engagement than spend

h of my words, but she saw the u

hurried away to do as I commanded. She was my m

irror, staring at the young

ueline. Elar

pare none

stick and painted my pale

rmation ceremony wou

ut I would also protect the person in this family I

s to save her. This time, I wou

of vengeance burned in my heart, hotter