eline

before the towering iron g

ilver hair into a messy knot, and made sure the faint, lingering red marks on my

s, but upon hearing my identity, they escorted me inside, leading me

drapes were drawn tightly shut, plunging the

of the room, pressing down on my lungs like a physical weight. The upper half of his face

he infamous, crippled

I slumped my shoulders, bowed slightly, an

ur Highness,"

ce in the dark room wa

s scheme. "Prince Arden, my sister Amanda is forcing me to act as her substitute bride for you.

eartbroken sob. "More importantly

e already shared the intimacy of husband and wife, and we have pledged our lives to each other. I ca

ited for him to feel deeply insulte

chuckle rumbled from

red, rising from his chair and slow

rame towering over me, casting a long

and terrifyingly familiar timber. "You certainly didn't act like a woman wh

stopped

from my face so fa

g the heavy velvet drape for balan

shing to the floor and allowing a blinding shaf

s voice cut through the sudden brilliance, laced with

both hands, unclasped the heavy iron-and-gold m

lyzed, as the "deformed m

, a strong, sculpted jawline,

man from

shed elite enforcers with a single word of command,