The crown felt lighter than Maisie had imagined.
It was not yet official — the grand coronation would come in another month — but in the eyes of the kingdom, she was already queen. Servants bowed when she passed. Warriors nodded with respect. Even the elders, once skeptical, now listened when she spoke in council. The transformation had happened quietly, day by day, in the safety of Kylen’s palace and the strength of their bond.
She spent her mornings in the royal archives and afternoons in the smaller audience hall, reviewing petitions from packs under Kylen’s rule. Today was no different.
A young widow from a border village knelt before the dais, voice trembling. “My lady… my sons were taken during the last skirmish with the southern packs. They were only farmers. Not warriors. We hav
