Anastasia Marie Darkthorn Obsidian was the beloved queen of Concordia, a vision of grace and kindness, the very embodiment of virtue and strength.
The only daughter of Duke Darkthorn, she had been given in marriage to the king—a bond sealed in duty rather than love. But she had embraced her role, and for years, she had stood beside her husband, a beacon of warmth to a kingdom that adored her.
For as long as Heinz could remember, his mother had been the kindest woman in the world. Her laughter was music, her embrace was home. When she smiled, the world seemed to shimmer with light.
And yet, the woman before him now was unrecognizable.
The chamber was suffocating with tension, thick with the scent of lavender perfume and despair. The walls, usually pristine, bore the scars of her outburst—shattered porcelain, splintered wood, the lingering echoes of her fury still vibrating in the air.
