After dinner, exhaustion settled into my bones like iron. The moment I collapsed onto the soft embrace of my bed, a weary sigh escaped my lips.
Gods, I was tired.
Not just in body, but in spirit. Everything, this farce of a palace, the lies wrapped in silk, the heavy gazes, and worst of all, her, that fraud, was draining the very essence of me. The only hope I clung to now was Ajax. If he could remove the magic hiding her true self, I'd have a chance. If not…
I might truly die.
The thought lingered cold in my chest as I forced myself to sit up, my eyes drawn to the soft glimmer of moonlight spilling in from the open balcony. The night air called to me, fresh and quiet, like a promise of clarity in the chaos.
I stood and crossed the room, my bare feet silent against the marble floor. As I stepped onto the balcony, the breeze kissed my skin, and there he was.
Ajax.
