To Love a Crowned Enemy

The candlelight flickered against the polished wood of my writing desk, casting shadows that danced along the stone walls of my chambers.

A map of Praylor was spread before me, its edges worn from use. I traced a finger along the borders, noting the regions controlled by noble families, each a potential ally—or an enemy waiting to strike.

Lillian's information had been useful, but it was not enough. If I wanted to secure my position, I needed more than whispers and caution. I needed leverage.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. Expecting Lillian, I rose to open it, only to find Lucian standing in the corridor, his expression unreadable.

"We need to talk," he said simply.

I stepped aside, allowing him entry. He moved with his usual precision, every motion calculated, every glance deliberate. Once the door was closed, he turned to face me, arms crossed over his chest.

"Montreve is becoming bolder," he said. "I overheard him speaking with a few of his allies during the feast. He is not content with whispers any longer."

I met his gaze, my own resolve hardening. "Then it's time we stopped letting him dictate the pace of this game."

Lucian studied me for a long moment before nodding. "I agree. But it will not be easy. He has spent years solidifying his position. If we strike too soon, we risk losing more than we gain."

I tapped a finger against the map. "Then we strike carefully. We learn his weaknesses, expose them piece by piece until he has nowhere left to turn."

His lips quirked, a hint of admiration in his gaze. "You're thinking like a queen."

Something in my chest tightened at his words, but I pushed it aside. "I'm thinking like someone who refuses to be destroyed."

He stepped closer, his voice quieter now. "Then let us make sure you are not."

For a moment, there was no court, no looming threats, just the two of us standing in the flickering candlelight. Then, just as quickly as it had come, the moment passed.

Lucian straightened, his mask of indifference sliding back into place. "We move carefully. No missteps."

I nodded. "No missteps."

As he turned to leave, I found myself watching him longer than I should have, a thought creeping into my mind that I was not yet ready to face.

I did not trust Lucian Velthorne.

But I wanted to.

The following morning, I took Lillian's advice and sought out allies among the noblewomen. The court had its share of ambitious wives and widows, each of them keenly aware of how power shifted between men. If I was to hold my own, I needed to understand them, to see where their loyalties truly lay.

The first was Lady Seraphina Vaelmont, the wife of a lord who held key trading routes. She greeted me with a smile that did not reach her eyes, her fingers adorned with rings that gleamed in the sunlight as we sat for tea in the palace gardens.

"Your arrival has certainly stirred the court," she said, stirring her tea with slow deliberation. "Some see you as a disruption. Others… an opportunity."

I met her gaze evenly. "And which are you, my lady?"

Her smile deepened, though it remained carefully poised. "I am a woman who recognizes that power comes in many forms. The question is whether you intend to wield yours or squander it."

I lifted my teacup, considering my words. "I intend to ensure that my presence here is not easily forgotten."

"Good," Seraphina murmured, tilting her head. "Then you may find that some of us are more inclined to listen than you think."

It was not an open declaration of support, but it was the beginning of something. A thread to pull. A door left slightly ajar.

As I left the gardens, I felt Lucian's presence before I saw him. He had been watching, lingering in the shadows of the colonnade.

"Spying on me, Lucian?" I asked without turning.

He stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Observing."

I glanced at him, arching a brow. "And what did you observe?"

"That you are playing this game well," he admitted. "Better than I expected."

I smirked. "I intend to win, Lucian. No matter the cost."

For a moment, his gaze held mine, something unreadable flickering behind those ice-blue eyes. Then he nodded. "Then let us make sure you do."

And just like that, an alliance was forged—not of love, nor of trust, but of necessity.

But deep down, I could not ignore the whisper of something else taking root between us.

Something dangerous.