“My daughter, Princess Raelys Bella Valantis, will wed the King of Avelisar in a showing of good faith towards our alliance!” Ulrik raises his goblet, and everyone erupts into cheer.
The cheers fade to a dull roar in my ears as my world cracks open beneath me.
CHAPTER TWO
This can’t be happening—shouldn’tbe happening. I didn’t spend my whole life in this castle to trade it for another cage. I take a hesitant step back. Nearly every pair of eyes in the room turns to me. The weight of their expectations hovers at my throat, sharp and suffocating.
I can bear it no longer.
Turning on my heel, I storm out of the great hall. I gather the fabric of my skirt in my fists as I flee, unsure of where to go. My stomach twists into knots at the thought of marrying that old man—one who is three times my age and has awife. My father has truly lost his mind this time. There is no chance that I will agree with such a slight.
Someone calls out my name. “Raelys!”
I ignore them, weaving through servants carrying large trays of food and wine toward the great hall. I duck and twist, doing my best not to collide with any of them as I race for the back of the castle.
“P-Princess—” one stammers. “Are you lost?”
“No,” I bite out, angrier than I would have liked.
I push open the tall iron door to the garden with all mystrength, and it slams against the opposite wall with a loud bang. My slippered foot touches the cold ground of the garden path as I dash away from the castle. Fury and indignation pulse in my veins like wildfire, burning away every logical thought and equanimity I had left.
“Raelys!” Timothy comes rushing after me. “Come back, please!”
“I will not!” I reply vehemently, surging ahead as the world blurs past me.
“Please reconsider. It’s not safe for you to go out alone at night,” Timothy calls out as he tries to catch up to me.
“When do I get to be alone, Timothy?” I twist around, shouting at him. “When do I ever get a choice?” My long dress swishes around my ankles with every step, the fabric flowing smoothly behind me. “When does anyone ever ask me what I want formylife?”
I continue to run through the gardens, desperate to get away. The sweet fragrance of the flowers overwhelms my frayed nerves. Leaves crunch beneath my slippers as I run past the tall maple trees, heading to the back of the castle.
“I know you’re upset.” Timothy tries to calm me down. “But King Olav can take good care of you.”
King Olav. The mention of his name makes my blood boil. I would sooner hurl myself over the back wall than let my father reduce me to a prized breeding mare. My father has continued my lessons with that wretched governess for years, learning useless knowledge and skills while keeping me in the dark about anything that matters. He only tells me things when it’s convenient, or to persuade me a certain way—his way.
My brother’s duty is to marry for a title and create an heir. He is the eldest, destined to be king. And my duty? Apparently, to become a pawn in a game. I refuse to believe this is my fate.Trapped again in another castle. Safe but always hollow, aimless with no purpose.
I grind my jaw together. “King Olav can shove it up his ass.”
I twist my body to the side, weaving through the tight space between the tall hedges. My skirt snags on the branches, slowing me down. I reach down and gather even more of my dress into my hands, pulling it closer to my body as I pass through the shrubbery.
The cool night air blows the stray hairs away from my face as I reach the clearing on the other side of the hedges, my breath heaving from my sprint. The full moon shines brightly in the sky, a soft illumination over the dark space. Vines crawl up the tall stone wall in front of me, signaling that I am at the barrier of my confines.
“Raelys!” Timothy’s shouts.
A palm pushes my shoulder, knocking me aside. The sound of an arrow whizzes past my head and hits something with a loud thunk behind me. Turning quickly, I see an arrow sticking directly out of Timothy’s neck. Before I could even think of what to do next, a second arrow lodges itself into his side, and I scream.
Timothy collapses onto the stone below, eyes glazed over in a blank stare.
“No!” I choke out, falling to my knees. “Timothy!” I cry, but there is no response.
Blood pools out of his wounds, staining the earth with the last remnants of his fading life. I grab the sword from his belt and whirl around. Three shadowy figures perch on top of the wall like hawks waiting to descend on their prey. Their forms silhouette against the moonlight, partially obscuring my view.
Elvarrans.
I take a few steps back to get a better look. I alwaysimagined them as monsters, but the ones before me look human. They have long, pointed ears as tall as mountain peaks and faces so sharply angled that they look almost statue-like. Each time they move, they effortlessly glide across the castle wall.
“W-what do you want?” I ask, my voice trembling.
