Ariella’s POV
Cold water splashed across my face without warning.
I jolted awake with a sharp gasp, lungs pulling in air as I blinked frantically, water dripping from my lashes.
My heart slammed against my ribs. Where was I? Had I been caught? No…that was impossible. I had masked every scent perfectly… mine, Cole’s, the queen’s, even the little prince’s. No one should have been able to trace what we did.
I looked around fast, eyes darting everywhere. The room was ordinary…plain stone walls, a simple wooden table, two chairs, and a narrow window covered by a thin curtain. Nothing grand, nothing that screamed royal dungeon or torture chamber.
Just… normal. That made it more interesting.
My gaze landed on the person who had poured the water. A middle-aged woman in a neat servant’s uni
