I wake up before the sun fully rises, the golden light spilling through the enormous palace windows. The bed is too big, too empty. I slept alone.
I swallow the sting of disappointment and push it aside. I won't sit around waiting for a husband who doesn't want me.
Sliding out of bed, I walk to the bathroom. The marble floors are cool beneath my feet as I step into the luxurious space; gold-trimmed mirrors, a deep clawfoot tub, and bottles of perfume lined neatly on the counter. The life of a princess. A life that still feels like a stranger's.
I take a long bath, scrubbing away the remnants of the night before, the frustration, the uncertainty. When I step out, I dress carefully, choosing a silk gown in burgundy. Elegant but not extravagant. I don't want to look like a woman desperate to impress her husband.
I glance in the mirror, adjusting the delicate diamond earrings the queen gifted me. I straighten my posture. If Cassian won't acknowledge me as his wife, I will make myself known in this palace in other ways.
I leave my chambers with a purpose.
The palace is alive with movement. Servants bow as I pass, whispering behind me. I pretend not to notice. Instead, I wander through the halls, searching for something, anything, to make myself useful. A queen should not be idle.
I don't make it far before a sound stops me.
Laughter.
Soft, feminine, and unmistakably intimate.
I freeze, my stomach twisting as I follow the sound. It comes from behind a half-open door at the end of the corridor. Cassian's quarters.
I hesitate for only a second before pushing the door open.
The sight before me is like a slap to the face.
Cassian lies in the massive bed, shirtless, the sheets barely covering him. Two nude women drape over him, their bodies tangled with his. One of them giggles, trailing her fingers down his chest.
Cassian lifts his head lazily, blinking at me as if I'm the last person he expected to see.
The women turn too, their gazes sweeping over me in curiosity, but not shame. They don't scramble to cover themselves. They don't look guilty.
Because they know what I now know; Cassian doesn't care.
I step inside, slow and deliberate, letting my gaze sweep the room. My face betrays nothing, my spine unyielding.
Cassian smirks. "Princess." His voice is hoarse, laced with exhaustion and liquor. "What brings you here?"
I meet his gaze without flinching. "I see you enjoyed your night, husband."
His smirk falters slightly at the word husband. But he doesn't respond, only leans back against the pillows, arms folding behind his head.
I turn my attention to the women. "You may leave."
The blonde one raises a perfectly arched brow. "Excuse me?"
"I wasn't speaking to you," I say calmly. "I was dismissing you."
The other woman; the one draped across Cassian's chest, laughs. "You're amusing. But I don't take orders from a wife who was abandoned on her wedding night."
Cassian says nothing. He just watches. Waiting to see how I'll react.
I step forward, my voice lowering to an icy calm. "Enjoying my husband for a night is one thing. Disrespecting his wife in his own home?" I tilt my head. "That's a dangerous game to play."
A flicker of uncertainty crosses their faces.
Cassian exhales, rubbing his temple. "Enough, both of you. Get out."
They hesitate, but Cassian's tone leaves no room for argument. They rise, slipping out of bed, gathering their clothes with slow, deliberate movements. One of them has the audacity to wink at me before strutting out.
The door closes behind them.
Silence.
Cassian swings his legs over the edge of the bed, reaching for the whiskey glass on the nightstand. I move first, grabbing it and tossing the contents into the fireplace. The flames hiss.
He looks up, startled, then amused. "That was expensive."
"So is my dignity." I set the glass down harder than necessary. "You don't have to love me, Cassian. You don't even have to like me. But you will respect me."
He watches me carefully, expression unreadable. "And if I don't?"
I lean down slightly, meeting his gaze head-on. "Then I will make this palace hell for you."
A slow smile spreads across his face. Not warm. Not affectionate. Amused. Intrigued.
"I underestimated you, Princess."
I straighten. "You won't again."
And with that, I turn and walk out, leaving him alone with his whiskey and his choices.
***
I don't waste time after leaving Cassian's chambers. If I stay too long, I might do something regrettable like smash every bottle of expensive liquor in his room.
Instead, I head straight to the one person in this palace who owes me answers.
Queen Morgana.
The guards stationed outside her private sitting room stiffen when they see me approach. I don't wait for them to announce me. I push the doors open and step inside.
The queen is seated by the grand window, sipping tea from a porcelain cup, draped in a floral silk robe that matches the cold calculation in her eyes. She doesn't look surprised to see me.
Of course not. She probably expected this confrontation.
I shut the doors behind me, standing tall. "Your Majesty."
She places her teacup down, lifting a perfectly arched brow. "Celeste. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
I take a slow breath, keeping my voice steady. "My family's debt. You promised me it would be cleared the moment I married your son."
She tilts her head. "Did I?"
Something sharp slices through me, but I don't let it show.
"Yes," I say firmly. "That was our agreement. I held up my end of the bargain. Now, I want proof that you've held up yours."
She studies me, the corners of her lips curving slightly. "My dear, you're newly married. Why are you concerning yourself with business instead of.." her gaze flickers toward the door "...your husband?"
I refuse to take the bait.
"Because I don't waste time playing house when real lives are at stake." I step closer, my tone unwavering. "Do not mistake my silence for naivety, Your Majesty. I married Cassian because I had no choice. But don't think for a second that I will sit back and allow you to toy with my family's fate."
Her amusement vanishes.
She sets down her cup with a quiet clink, her fingers lacing together. "You have spirit. That's good." A pause. "But understand this, Celeste, this palace is not yours to command. You may wear the crown, but it does not make you powerful."
I hold her gaze. "Not yet."
She exhales, standing gracefully. "Since you're so impatient, I'll have the documents sent to your chambers by noon. You'll see that the debts are being taken care of. But…" She steps closer, lowering her voice. "Don't ever walk into my quarters demanding anything again."
I don't flinch. "Then don't give me a reason to."
For a second, just a second, something flashes in her eyes - annoyance? Respect? I can't tell.
Then, she smiles, smooth and regal. "This conversation is over. You may leave, Princess."
I don't curtsy. I don't lower my head. I turn on my heel to walk out.
She thinks she can control me.
She's wrong.
Then, the doors fly open. A guard rushes in, breathless.
"Your Majesty, there's an issue with the prince."
My stomach knots. I don't know what he's about to say.
The air shifts, heavy with an unspoken tension. Queen Morgana's smirk fades as she turns to the guard, her fingers tightening over the handle of her cup.
"What now?"
The guard hesitates, his gaze flicking to me for the briefest second before he answers.
"He's gone."
The room tilts. My breath stills.
Gone?
My mind races. Does he mean Cassian left the palace? Or something worse?
I glance at the queen, expecting shock, concern, anything. But she simply exhales and looks at me, her expression unreadable.
Then, as if I wasn't even in the room, she murmurs, "Find him."
The guard bows and hurries away.
I stand frozen, gripping the sides of my gown, my heartbeat loud in my ears.
This is my husband. My problem now.