Cassian's absence barely registers as I go about my day. If anything, it makes my life easier. There's no brooding, drunken prince to deal with, no sharp-edged words thrown in my direction, no cold glances that cut deeper than insults. Just peace. And I intend to use it well.
The palace is vast, an architectural marvel of old royalty and modern luxury. A place where power moves in whispers and secrets lurk in the shadows. I take my time learning its halls, memorizing faces, and noting who holds real authority behind the throne.
By midday, I retreat to the royal gardens, where the scent of blooming lilies mingles with the crisp autumn air. I pull out my phone and dial home. The moment my mother's voice fills my ear, a small knot in my chest loosens.
"Celeste, my love," she says warmly. "How are you? Is the palace treating you well?"
I smile at the sound of her voice. "It's... different."
A beat of silence. Then, in a quieter tone, she asks, "And your husband?"
My fingers tighten around the phone. "Gone."
"Gone?" she echoes, startled.
"He left this morning and hasn't returned." I lean against the stone balustrade, staring out over the fountains. "Not that it matters. He can do whatever he wants."
"Celeste…"
"Mom," I cut her off gently, "let's not talk about him. Tell me about home."
She sighs but obliges, filling me in on small town gossip, my father's latest fishing trip, and how the bakery next door raised its prices again. It's comforting, hearing about normal things, things that make sense.
Then I hear a small, muffled voice in the background. My heart softens instantly.
"Give him the phone," I say, my voice instinctively lowering.
There's a rustle, a brief pause, then a tiny, sleepy voice. "mummy?"
My eyes sting. "Hey, Ray! Are you being good?"
A soft giggle. "Yes."
I smile, though my throat tightens. "I miss you."
"Miss you too, mummy"
I close my eyes and let the warmth of his voice settle in my chest. For a moment, the grand palace, the weight of duty, the cold marriage, it all fades. There is only this.
After a while, I pass the phone back to my mother, murmuring a quiet "I love you" before ending the call.
The moment is brief, but it leaves something behind; a quiet ache, a reminder of everything I left behind.
Still, I push it aside.
I have a role to play.
And a husband who, apparently, has disappeared without a trace.
By evening, the palace staff begin to murmur about the missing prince. The guards exchange uneasy glances. The council members who arrived for a scheduled meeting leave disgruntled. And Queen Morgana? She is as calm as ever, sipping her evening tea in the royal lounge.
I find her there, draped in regal blue silk, watching me with a calculating smile.
"He's not coming back tonight, is he?" I ask, keeping my tone even.
The queen lifts a brow. "Do you want him to?"
I don't answer.
She sets her cup down and regards me coolly. "You're his wife, Celeste. You should be aware of his whereabouts."
Her words are a challenge, a subtle test. But I don't rise to it.
Instead, I straighten my shoulders and meet her gaze head-on. "He can run as far as he likes. I have better things to do."
A flicker of something; amusement, perhaps, crosses her face. "Good."
I don't wait for her dismissal. I turn and walk away, keeping my head high, my steps measured. But as I leave the lounge, I can't shake the feeling that the queen knows something I don't.
And that Cassian's absence is more than just an act of rebellion.
Something is brewing.
And I intend to find out what.
Days pass.
Cassian is still gone.
At first, I tell myself I don't care. I spend my time learning the palace's history, walking its endless corridors, and making calls to my parents, assuring them that everything is fine. I don't mention the prince's absence.
I don't even mention the calls I make to someone else, Ray. The name lingers on my tongue like a secret, my voice soft whenever I whisper to him.
But the whispers in the palace grow louder. The servants glance at me with pity. The guards avoid my eyes. A prince disappearing right after his wedding, it isn't normal.
And now, it seems, the queen has decided it's my problem.
A knock at my door startles me from my reading. I look up to find a palace guard standing stiffly at the entrance.
"Your Highness, the council requests your presence immediately."
I shut my book and exhale. "Why?"
"They didn't say."
Of course, they didn't.
I smooth my dress and rise. "Lead the way."
But as I step into the hallway, I nearly collide with a maid carrying a silver tray. She gasps, the cups rattling.
"Oh! Forgive me, Your Highness."
I steady the tray before it topples and glances at her. She isn't like the others. While most maids lower their eyes and scurry away, this one lingers.
"What's your name?" I ask.
She hesitates before answering. "Esther, Your Highness."
Esther.
There's something sharp in her eyes, something that tells me she isn't just another palace servant.
She leans in slightly, her voice dropping. "You're going to the council?"
I narrow my eyes. "How do you know that?"
She smiles faintly. "The walls have ears, Princess."
Of course, they do.
I start to move past her, but she speaks again. "They'll try to intimidate you."
I pause. "I know."
She studies me for a moment, then says something that makes my blood run cold.
"The Queen is buying time."
My gaze sharpens. "What do you mean?"
Esther glances around before stepping closer. "She hasn't settled anything yet. I heard your conversation with her the other day."
I keep my face neutral, but inside, I seethe.
The Queen made a deal with me. A deal that should have already been honoured.
And now, she's delaying it.
I inhale sharply. "Why are you telling me this?"
Esther's lips twitch. "Because I like you, Princess."
I arch a brow. "You don't even know me."
"No," she agrees. "But I know them."
She dips into a small curtsy and steps back. "Good luck, Your Highness."
I watch her disappear down the hall before turning toward the grand chamber.
If the Queen thinks she can play games with me, if the council thinks they can pressure me, then they are about to be very disappointed.
Because I'm done waiting.
And I'm done playing by their rules.
I take a step forward, ready to leave the hall,
I hear voices and shuffling footsteps outside. The palace staff are murmuring; anxious, urgent.
Then, a single phrase cuts through the noise like a blade.
"They found something… in Prince Cassian's chambers."
My breath catches.
And then, a scream.