Chapter 1 Avelora
Since the day I was born, I have never stepped outside this palace.
Not the gardens.
Not the courtyard.
Not even the hallways beyond my tower. Just this room. My “perfect princess room,” as they call it. People imagine princesses with beauty, luxury, glittering gowns, and happily-ever-afters.
Mine is just silence. And walls. And secrets.
My parents, King Thalor and Queen Evandria, have hated me quietly for seventeen years. Not with shouting — that would require acknowledging me — but with distance. Cold, careful distance.
All because of what I am. A secret they’ve hidden from the kingdom since the day I was born. A secret that is me. They say the people would see me differently. They say I’m dangerous.
Maybe I am.
Right now, I lie on my bed with a book in my hands — as usual. Reading is the closest thing I have to freedom. When I read, I can pretend I’m anyone else living any other life.
The sound hits suddenly.
CRACK.
An arrow slams through my window, shattering it. I gasp as shards scatter across the floor. My pulse leaps. We’re under attack.
Morvain.
It has to be Morvain. They’ve hated Elyndria for years, always threatening war. Father said they’d never dare strike first.But they have. And now they’re here.
To kill.
A figure climbs through the broken window tall, armored, dangerous. A knight. His presence fills my room with cold steel and threat.
He points his blade toward me. “Don’t move.” His voice is deep, rough, absolute.
I nod, trembling. He notices. Slowly, he lowers the sword.
“You’re… scared,” he mutters, almost confused. “You’re going to kill me, right?” I whisper. “Yes,” he says without hesitation.
“Then do it.” He freezes.
Slowly, he removes his helmet dark wavy hair, stormy blue eyes, lightly tanned skin. He looks young. Human. Not the monster I expected. “What?” he says, disbelief flickering across his features. “Why would you say that?” “It’s not worth it for me to live anyway.”
He opens his mouth, then closes it. Conflict flashes in his eyes.“I still have time before I need to kill you,” he mutters.“My parents… they’re dead, aren’t they?”He stiffens. “How did you know?”
“I can sense it when people I love die.”
Shock flickers across his face. “I…” He exhales slowly. “I don’t need to kill you yet. So talk to me. I won’t tell anyone. I’m just a stranger.”
“You mean that?”
“Yeah,” he says quietly. “I do.”
