Modric’s POV
The letters V.R. remained in my thoughts long after we left the command center.
They should not have meant anything.
Two initials on a coded message could belong to anyone. A merchant. A rogue commander. A place hidden beyond the neutral territories.
Yet the moment I saw them, Velvera’s name entered my mind.
Velvera Raines.
I had never asked whether she still used her father’s family name in private documents. Most people knew her only as Velvera. Her family had lost influence years ago, and she rarely spoke about them unless it helped explain why she deserved a place beside me.
Still, the possibility had entered my mind.
I hated myself for allowing it.
Velvera could be jealous. Demanding. Cruel when Mary Ann’s name appeared between us. But she was not capable of orga
