**Ronan's chambers**
"You're going to regret your decision," Selene said as they stepped inside, the heavy doors closing behind them with a dull thud.
"Am I?" Ronan's voice was tight with irritation.
"What kind of king lets his enemy live?"
"I'm not letting him live for long—just until we get the information we need."
"And you think he'll just give it to you?"
"With enough persuasion, he will," Ronan replied through clenched teeth.
Selene let out a dry, humorless laugh but said nothing more.
Ronan exhaled sharply. "You may think me a fool, but a good king listens to his council."
"Really?" Selene tilted her head. "So if they told you to jump off a cliff, would you?" She didn't wait for his response. "Of course not. Because a good king doesn't listen to foolish advice."
Ronan's jaw flexed. "You know nothing about matters of war. How could you possibly understand my decision? You're just a—"
"A woman," Selene finished for him, her voice cold.
Silence stretched between them. Ronan looked as if he wanted to say something, but she had no interest in hearing it.
"I think it's best I leave you to yourself tonight, Your Majesty," Selene said, bowing stiffly. "I should retire to my chambers. As I am in no mood for… bedroom activities. I assume you're not either."
She turned without waiting for his permission, her gown sweeping behind her as she strode to the door.
She stormed down the corridors, her heels clicking sharply against the stone floors. The guards stationed along the hall gave slight bows as she passed, but she barely acknowledged them. Her anger burned too hot.
Ronan was a fool. A blind, stubborn fool. How could he not see that keeping the prisoner alive was a mistake? The rebellion would only grow bolder, and when blood was finally spilled, he'd realize—too late—that she had been right.
She pushed open the door to her chambers, slamming it shut behind her. The moment she was alone, she let out a breath, pressing her palms against the cool wood.
She needed to calm down. Losing her temper wouldn't help her cause.
But damn it all, if Ronan wasn't testing her patience.
As she took another deep breath, a faint sound reached her ears. She frowned her instincts sharpening instantly.
She turned swiftly, eyes scanning the dimly lit room.
"Lila?" she called out, but no response came. A prickle of unease crawled up her spine. Someone else was here.
Her hand flew to the dagger strapped to her thigh. Keeping her steps light, she moved through the room, searching. But the space was empty. Perhaps she'd imagined it—
Another sound.
This time, from the bed.
Selene's grip on the dagger tightened as she approached the grand canopy bed in the center of the room. Slowly, she lifted the sheets draped over the side, ready to strike—
Only for her blade to stop midway.
Huddled beneath the bed was Hannah, the little orphan Ronan had brought back to the castle.
The girl let out a terrified scream at the sight of the dagger, her tiny body trembling. Selene immediately reached out, cupping her face gently.
"Hush."
Instantly, the child's breathing steadied, though fear still lingered in her wide brown eyes.
Selene softened her voice. "Forget."
Hannah blinked. In an instant, the terror disappeared, replaced with innocent mischief. She giggled and tried to scramble out, as if Selene had merely caught her in a game of hide-and-seek.
Selene caught her little arm before she could slip away. "What are you doing here, little one? It's very late."
Hannah leaned in close, whispering, "I'm hiding from the maid. I don't like her."
Selene raised a brow. "Oh? I don't like maids either." She whispered back as she tickle the girl's side, earning a burst of laughter. "But it's far too late for hiding, little one. You should be in bed."
Hannah's giggles faded into a small pout. "Alright," she mumbled reluctantly.
Selene nearly told her to stay—almost gave in to the warmth she felt toward the child—but before she could, the door burst open.
A maid hurried inside, stopping short at the sight of Selene. She quickly bowed. "Terribly sorry, my Queen. I thought you were with the King. I was only checking if Hannah had wandered in here."
"It's fine." Selene rose gracefully to her feet. "Take her back and make sure she gets a good night's sleep."
"Yes, my Queen." The maid gently reached for Hannah's hand, but the little girl clung to Selene's leg instead.
"Good night," Hannah murmured, her big brown eyes shimmering with innocence.
Selene smiled—genuinely, for the first time in what felt like ages.
"Thank you, little one. Good night to you as well." She bent down, pressing a kiss to Hannah's forehead before letting her go.
That night, Selene couldn't sleep.
She tossed and turned, shifting from one side to the other, but no matter how she adjusted, rest refused to come. Instead, she lay staring at the ceiling, her mind blank.
The castle was silent, eerily still. Only the distant chirping of crickets filled the night air.
So why couldn't she sleep?
Minutes stretched into hours. Finally, her eyelids grew heavy. Just as she drifted on the edge of slumber—
A scream shattered the silence.
It was loud. Gut-wrenching.
It tore through the stillness, piercing the air with a raw, chilling agony that sent a shiver down Selene's spine.
And it didn't stop.
Whoever was screaming grew louder and louder, the sound so horrific that it woke the entire castle. Doors creaked open in the hallways, hushed murmurs filled the corridors, but the screams drowned out everything.
Something was terribly wrong.
Selene threw off her covers, slipping into her robe in one swift motion before hurrying toward the source of the chaos.
She wasn't alone. Servants, knights, and nobles spilled into the hallways, their faces pale with unease. The screaming led them to one of the castle chambers—Hannah's room.
A cluster of maids stood outside, shrieking, their hands covering their mouths in horror.
Selene pushed through them. "What is going on?!"
The women stepped aside, and Selene's breath caught in her throat.
A maid lay at the entrance, motionless, her eyes wide open in frozen terror. A pool of crimson surrounded her, staining the cold stone floor. Her throat had been slit clean across.
Selene's heart pounded. She knew that face.
It was the same maid who had taken Hannah to bed earlier that night.
Her chest tightened. Without hesitation, she stepped over the body and entered the room.
The moment she did, her hands flew to cover her mouth, her stomach twisting violently.
The air was filled with the metallic scent of blood.
Selene wasn't easily rattled. She had seen death. She had seen cruelty. But what she saw in that room—
It destroyed her.