Liora had always been ambitious—ruthless, even. She never really liked me. She liked the crown, the power, the title she thought she could claw her way into. That made her the perfect pawn. Easy to manipulate. Easy to keep at arm’s length. Making her my “mistress” had been strategic from day one: a public slap to Hazel’s face, proof I was unfaithful, cold, unworthy. It kept Hazel angry. It kept her distant. It kept the mate bond buried under layers of resentment. Kept her alive.
But goddess, the cost.
Hazel.
Just thinking her name sent a shiver racing down my spine—sharp, electric, alive. What was she planning now? Another council meeting? Another speech that turned my people against me? Another step closer to someone else’s arms? The image of Dimitri standing beside her in the courtyar
