Reiya moved toward where her parents sat behind the royal table, watching the sea of dancers. Leaning toward her mother, she grazed her temple with her fingers.
“May I be excused?” she asked, keeping her tone subdued. “I’d like to rest and be fresh for tomorrow’s announcement.”
Her mother’s eyes brightened, pride flickering in their depths. “Of course, my dear,” she murmured, brushing a stray lock from Reiya’s shoulder with fondness. “You’ll want to look your best.”
Her father gave a measured nod. “Rest well, daughter.” His voice was even, but she caught the curiosity beneath it.
Her mother, less reserved, leaned closer, a smile of anticipation on her lips. “Do you know yet? Have you decided?”
Reiya’s serene smile held, though it felt like a veil stretched thin. Tilting her head slightly, she kept her tone perfectly measured. “You’ll know tomorrow, just like everyone else.”
Her parents exchanged a brief, contented glance before returning their attention to the dancers.
She straightened, keeping her steps sedate as she left the table. For a moment, she lingered at the ballroom’s edge, watching them. They seemed peaceful, believing her life had fallen neatly into place.
They had laid out this path for her since her Awakening, convinced she would find happiness and fulfillment within it.
Her heart twisted. Guilt gnawed at the edges, the ache of knowing she was about to shatter their hopes.
This was not just an escape. It was abetrayal.
She swallowed hard. Silently, she asked for their forgiveness—for the fracture she was about to cause, for the disappointment and shame, for the pain that would follow.
And hoped they would forgive her, in time.
Inside her bedroom, Reiya stood still as Fia helped her into a nightgown, sat her in front of the mirror, and combed through her hair.
“Did you have a good time, Princess?”
Reiya looked down and pretended to inspect her nails. “The music and decorations were lovely. As expected.”
Fia’s chuckle drew her eyes to the mirror. Her maid’s eyes twinkled. “The palace is all abuzz. Aethonia will soon havethreeAlphas in its royal family. Imagine that!” She clasped her hands, barely containing her delight. “Princess, you’ve given your people peace of mind.”
The words landed like a stone in Reiya’s chest.
Three Alphas.Thorir, and . . . the Asadian princes?
Reiya forced a smile, but it felt brittle. Fia’s joy—so genuine, so full of faith—was crushing. What would her people think when they discovered she’d left? A princess abandoning her duty, turning her back on a kingdom that had placed its hopes in her.
She swallowed hard, nodded, and watched in silence as Fia curtsied and left.
The moment the door clicked shut, her smile vanished.
She dug out an old leather satchel and packed swiftly—essentials only, as Castiel had instructed. A plain linen dress, no stays. The absence of stiff laces already felt like a small victory, a fleeting taste of freedom. The wing-shaped crystal necklace was the only jewelry she kept on.
Her gaze swept the room, lingering on familiar corners, belongings steeped in memory. Would she ever return? Homesickness pressed in, but she pushed it aside and turned toward the door.
Halfway across the room, her eyes caught on a dagger atop her dresser. She picked it up, the weight settling in her palm—an Awakening gift from her mother. Ivory pearls lined the hilt, shimmering in the candlelight, while the limyerite blade gleamed, sharp enough to cut through hesitation. Like the pearl necklace, it had been blessed at Luneth’s temple, meant to guide her to the Alpha she was destined for.
She tucked it into her skirt’s hidden pocket. The weight was both comfort and burden—a reminder of the love and expectations she wasabout to leave behind. Perhaps she shouldn’t take it, considering the betrayal she was committing, but she hoped Luneth would understand.
Lowering her head, she sent up a quick prayer.‘Forgive me, goddess. Forgive me for seeking freedom beyond the bonds you blessed.’
A glance at the water clock showed it was nearly three turns to sunrise.
Reiya donned a dark cloak and slipped from her chambers. Footsteps soft against the marble, she wove through the palace halls where laughter and music still lingered, muffled by heavy doors. Outside, the crescent moon cast silver ribbons across the garden paths. And at the far end, beneath the old carob tree, Castiel stepped from the shadows. Relief unfurled in her chest, easing the chill on her skin.
She quickened her pace. When she reached him, his eyes searched hers.
