To Love a Crowned Enemy

Lillian's words lingered in the air, cold and sharp. They want to see you gone.

A part of me had always known that my presence in Praylor would not be welcomed, that the nobles would do everything in their power to see me fail. But this was something different. This was not disdain. This was a warning of something far more dangerous.

I studied Lillian, searching her face for any sign of deception, but there was only quiet urgency. "Who are they?"

She hesitated. "I do not know all of them, my lady. But I have overheard whispers—servants speaking of hushed meetings, of noblemen discussing matters that should never be spoken in the open. Lord Montreve is the most vocal against you, but he is not the only one."

I crossed my arms, letting my weight shift slightly onto my back foot. "Why tell me this now?"

"Because I have seen what happens to those the court does not accept." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "They do not simply fade into the background. They disappear."

A chill ran through me. Disappeared. How many had fallen before me? And how had I not seen it before? My survival instincts sharpened, every ounce of my upbringing screaming at me to act before I became another nameless casualty of Praylor's ruthless politics.

"If what you say is true, then I must be careful about who I trust." I watched her closely. "Including you."

Lillian did not flinch. "I expect nothing less. But I give you this warning freely, my lady. Do with it what you will."

I studied her once more, then gave a slow nod. "Thank you, Lillian. But if you value your safety, you must be careful as well. If you are caught speaking to me, you may share my fate."

"I have no title to lose, my lady. And I know how to move unseen." She bowed her head slightly. "But I will be careful. And if I learn more, I will find you."

With that, she turned, disappearing into the hedges as silently as she had come.

I remained standing in the garden for a long moment, my thoughts racing. If Montreve and others wanted me removed, then I needed to be proactive. I needed to strike first.

I spent the rest of the morning in the palace library, poring over records of noble lineages, alliances, and trade agreements. If I was going to fight back, I needed knowledge—I needed to know who my enemies were and where their power lay. But more importantly, I needed to know who might be persuaded to stand by my side.

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked up to find Lucian standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. "I did not take you for the scholarly type."

I shut the ledger in front of me with deliberate slowness.

"And I did not take you for someone who concerned himself with my daily habits."

Lucian's lips quirked, but there was little humor in his expression. "What are you looking for?"

I debated lying, but something told me he would see through it. "Names. Allies. Enemies."

He studied me for a long moment before stepping closer. "And what have you found?"

"That your court is filled with men who would rather see me dead than sitting beside you."

Lucian exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. "You knew that before you stepped foot in Praylor."

"Knowing it and hearing it confirmed are two different things."

He was silent for a moment, then reached for the ledger I had been reading. "Montreve is the least of your concerns."

I narrowed my eyes. "So there are others."

"There are always others," he murmured. "But knowing their names is only part of the battle. What do you intend to do with this information?"

I met his gaze evenly. "I intend to survive."

A flicker of something passed through his expression—approval, perhaps, or something more complicated. He set the ledger down and straightened. "Then be careful, Verona. You are not in Hull anymore. You do not have the protection of your family or your people."

I stood, facing him fully. "No. But I have myself. And I have you."

The words slipped out before I could think better of them, and for the first time since our marriage was arranged, Lucian hesitated. His ice-blue eyes locked onto mine, and in that brief pause, the air between us shifted. He was calculating, weighing something unspoken.

Then, with a slow, deliberate nod, he said, "Yes. You do."

It was not a promise. But it was something.

The next evening, the court gathered for a formal dinner in the great hall. I had chosen my gown carefully—deep crimson, embroidered with silver in the pattern of a falcon taking flight. A reminder to them all that I was not some caged creature to be dismissed.

Lucian sat beside me, his expression unreadable as the nobles engaged in meaningless pleasantries. But I felt his presence acutely, a silent force at my side. We had never spoken of loyalty, not truly, but I wondered now if he understood just how much this alliance between us was shifting.

Lord Montreve raised his goblet, his voice carrying across the hall. "To new beginnings. And to ensuring Praylor remains strong."

A subtle, veiled threat. I lifted my own goblet, meeting his gaze without flinching. "Yes. To Praylor's strength."

Lucian's fingers brushed mine briefly beneath the table, just enough to remind me that I was not alone in this fight.

The game was well and truly underway. And I had no intention of losing.

As the night continued, I took careful note of the nobles who interacted with Montreve, who exchanged glances, who leaned in just a little too closely when speaking in hushed voices. I was not the only one playing this game, and it was time I started making my own moves.

Before the evening ended, I excused myself from the table, weaving through the halls of the palace until I found Lillian waiting in the shadows near the servant's passage.

"I need more names," I said quietly. "Not just the men who would see me fail. I need to know who hates them enough to stand against them."

Lillian nodded, her eyes sharp. "Then we must be careful, my lady. Because if we begin to move against them, they will know."

I took a breath, steadying myself. "Then let them know. It is time they learned that I am not so easily cast aside."

Lillian's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "Very well, my lady. Let the game begin."