Chapter 1
Dual POV – Daniel & Thania
Daniel
The moans echoed lazily through the marbled walls of the west wing, mingling with the rustle of silk sheets and shallow breaths. Another night, another nameless woman tangled beside me, whispering sweet lies against my skin.
“You’re insatiable, Your Highness,” she giggled, tracing her fingers across my chest.
I smirked, my fingers trailing lazily down her spine. “It’s Daniel after dark. And you should know by now, I don’t play by daylight rules.”
But just as her lips found mine again—
Knock. Knock.
A sharp rap on the door. Followed by a nervous voice.
“Your Highness, Queen Regina requests your presence. In her study. Immediately.”
I pulled back, sighing as the warmth of the moment dissolved into annoyance.
Of course. My mother had always had impeccable timing.
The air in my mother’s study was colder than the stone walls. Every time I entered, I felt like a boy again—dragged in for discipline I no longer feared.
Queen Regina didn’t look up as I stepped inside, her back rigid behind her oak desk.
“You’re twenty-five,” she began without a greeting, “and still unmarried.”
I crossed the room and dropped into the chair opposite her, robes loose and attitude looser. “And yet, the kingdom hasn’t burned to the ground.”
She set her pen down with deliberate calm. “Your father had secured the crown and produced an heir by your age.”
“Yes, and look where it got him—dead of exhaustion and politics.”
Her eyes narrowed like a blade pressed to a throat.
“You may play at arrogance, but you are the future of this throne. You will marry. You will produce heirs. You will stop shaming this family with your indulgence in harlots and tavern scum.”
I stood before she could say more, jaw clenched. “Then maybe find someone who can tame me, Mother. Because I doubt she exists.”
I left before her silence could turn to poison.
The city lights blurred past as my horse galloped toward the forest’s edge. I needed to breathe—far from the palace, far from duty. Far from her.
When I reached the tavern near the border, the night was loud and alive—just what I needed.
Inside, the scent of smoke, ale, and sin hit me instantly. I found Aren slouched at a back table, already drunk and grinning like a madman.
“Took you long enough,” he called, sliding a drink toward me. “Let me guess—Mother dearest finally lost her patience?”
I knocked back the drink in one gulp. “She wants me married.”
Aren laughed. “To which unlucky noble brat?”
“I didn’t stay long enough to hear.”
I was reaching for another when the mood in the room shifted. It was subtle at first. Voices quieted. A few heads turned.
Then I saw her.
Thania
The general’s breath reeked of wine and rotted teeth as he leaned closer. My back pressed against the wooden pillar, arms already sore from being chained for transport all day.
“I said,” he growled, “strip. Or you’ll be spending the night in the dungeon. Again.”
I met his glare, blood seeping from the corner of my lip. “You’ll have to rip the rags off me yourself.”
And then, because I’ve never known when to stay silent—I spit.
Right in his face.
The pub went still. I could feel every pair of eyes on me. Even the music had stopped.
The general’s face turned red. “You filthy whore—”
His fist met my cheek with a sickening crack. I stumbled but didn’t fall.
I swung back.
It wasn’t smart. It wasn’t brave. It was instinct.
I clawed, kicked, screamed until two more blows dropped me to my knees. The last thing I saw was the floor, smeared in blood. Mine.
And the flicker of someone stepping forward.
Daniel
She hit the floor hard.
The general—Merek, from Draveth’s garrison—wiped his mouth, sneered, and walked away like she was nothing. Like the girl he’d just beaten was less than dirt.
I couldn’t move. Not at first.
She was crumpled, barely breathing. A slave, from the looks of her. But there was something in her face—still. Even unconscious.Defiant.
I moved before I even realized it. Crossed the room, knelt beside her.
Blood. Bruises. Bare feet. Shaking shoulders.
“Daniel,” Aren said sharply behind me. “She’s not our problem. She’s from Draveth.”
I didn’t look at him.
“She’s mine now.”
I lifted her gently, surprised by how light she was. Her head lolled against my chest.
And I carried her out—past the stares, past the silence, past the judgment.
Thania
Warmth.
I hadn’t felt warmth in years.
My body ached. Every inch of me screamed, but the pain dulled against the softness of wherever I was. I blinked slowly, vision blurred, light golden and flickering.
Not the dungeon.
Not chains.
I turned my head and froze.
He was there. Sitting in a chair across the room, cloak draped over one shoulder, watching me with unreadable eyes.
The prince.
Prince Daniel of Maples. The Crowned Wolf. The Ice Heir.
“What…?” I tried to speak, but my throat was raw.
“You’re in the palace,” he said simply. “You were nearly dead when I found you.”
I tried to sit up—agony shot through my ribs. I gasped.
He stood. Walked over slowly.
“Don’t strain. You’ll break what’s barely healing.”
I looked up at him, dazed and guarded. “Why… why would you help me?”
He knelt beside the bed, his eyes narrowing just slightly.
“I don’t know yet.”
His voice was low, dangerous. Curious.
But what terrified me most…
Was thatneither did I.
Daniel
The moans echoed lazily through the marbled walls of the west wing, mingling with the rustle of silk sheets and shallow breaths. Another night, another nameless woman tangled beside me, whispering sweet lies against my skin.
“You’re insatiable, Your Highness,” she giggled, tracing her fingers across my chest.
I smirked, my fingers trailing lazily down her spine. “It’s Daniel after dark. And you should know by now, I don’t play by daylight rules.”
But just as her lips found mine again—
Knock. Knock.
A sharp rap on the door. Followed by a nervous voice.
“Your Highness, Queen Regina requests your presence. In her study. Immediately.”
I pulled back, sighing as the warmth of the moment dissolved into annoyance.
Of course. My mother had always had impeccable timing.
The air in my mother’s study was colder than the stone walls. Every time I entered, I felt like a boy again—dragged in for discipline I no longer feared.
Queen Regina didn’t look up as I stepped inside, her back rigid behind her oak desk.
“You’re twenty-five,” she began without a greeting, “and still unmarried.”
I crossed the room and dropped into the chair opposite her, robes loose and attitude looser. “And yet, the kingdom hasn’t burned to the ground.”
She set her pen down with deliberate calm. “Your father had secured the crown and produced an heir by your age.”
“Yes, and look where it got him—dead of exhaustion and politics.”
Her eyes narrowed like a blade pressed to a throat.
“You may play at arrogance, but you are the future of this throne. You will marry. You will produce heirs. You will stop shaming this family with your indulgence in harlots and tavern scum.”
I stood before she could say more, jaw clenched. “Then maybe find someone who can tame me, Mother. Because I doubt she exists.”
I left before her silence could turn to poison.
The city lights blurred past as my horse galloped toward the forest’s edge. I needed to breathe—far from the palace, far from duty. Far from her.
When I reached the tavern near the border, the night was loud and alive—just what I needed.
Inside, the scent of smoke, ale, and sin hit me instantly. I found Aren slouched at a back table, already drunk and grinning like a madman.
“Took you long enough,” he called, sliding a drink toward me. “Let me guess—Mother dearest finally lost her patience?”
I knocked back the drink in one gulp. “She wants me married.”
Aren laughed. “To which unlucky noble brat?”
“I didn’t stay long enough to hear.”
I was reaching for another when the mood in the room shifted. It was subtle at first. Voices quieted. A few heads turned.
Then I saw her.
Thania
The general’s breath reeked of wine and rotted teeth as he leaned closer. My back pressed against the wooden pillar, arms already sore from being chained for transport all day.
“I said,” he growled, “strip. Or you’ll be spending the night in the dungeon. Again.”
I met his glare, blood seeping from the corner of my lip. “You’ll have to rip the rags off me yourself.”
And then, because I’ve never known when to stay silent—I spit.
Right in his face.
The pub went still. I could feel every pair of eyes on me. Even the music had stopped.
The general’s face turned red. “You filthy whore—”
His fist met my cheek with a sickening crack. I stumbled but didn’t fall.
I swung back.
It wasn’t smart. It wasn’t brave. It was instinct.
I clawed, kicked, screamed until two more blows dropped me to my knees. The last thing I saw was the floor, smeared in blood. Mine.
And the flicker of someone stepping forward.
Daniel
She hit the floor hard.
The general—Merek, from Draveth’s garrison—wiped his mouth, sneered, and walked away like she was nothing. Like the girl he’d just beaten was less than dirt.
I couldn’t move. Not at first.
She was crumpled, barely breathing. A slave, from the looks of her. But there was something in her face—still. Even unconscious.Defiant.
I moved before I even realized it. Crossed the room, knelt beside her.
Blood. Bruises. Bare feet. Shaking shoulders.
“Daniel,” Aren said sharply behind me. “She’s not our problem. She’s from Draveth.”
I didn’t look at him.
“She’s mine now.”
I lifted her gently, surprised by how light she was. Her head lolled against my chest.
And I carried her out—past the stares, past the silence, past the judgment.
Thania
Warmth.
I hadn’t felt warmth in years.
My body ached. Every inch of me screamed, but the pain dulled against the softness of wherever I was. I blinked slowly, vision blurred, light golden and flickering.
Not the dungeon.
Not chains.
I turned my head and froze.
He was there. Sitting in a chair across the room, cloak draped over one shoulder, watching me with unreadable eyes.
The prince.
Prince Daniel of Maples. The Crowned Wolf. The Ice Heir.
“What…?” I tried to speak, but my throat was raw.
“You’re in the palace,” he said simply. “You were nearly dead when I found you.”
I tried to sit up—agony shot through my ribs. I gasped.
He stood. Walked over slowly.
“Don’t strain. You’ll break what’s barely healing.”
I looked up at him, dazed and guarded. “Why… why would you help me?”
He knelt beside the bed, his eyes narrowing just slightly.
“I don’t know yet.”
His voice was low, dangerous. Curious.
But what terrified me most…
Was that neither did I.
