Alexia rolled her eyes. "It was once."
"True," Portia agreed. "But Ravena's been nursing a hopeless crush on Kane for years. Unfortunately for her, Kane's still tangled in his feelings for Celestite, who, by the way, is getting engaged to Prince Jackson. So now, Ravena can't take her frustration out on Celestite, and you—my unapologetically single and happy friend—make the perfect target for her misplaced angst."
Far from the turmoil of the palace, Crown Prince Cristiano had departed for the northern front. The goblin raids had grown more frequent and destructive, and though the mission was initially expected to be brief, it had already taken longer than planned. His prolonged absence only added to the tension back at court. For now, the palace remained under Portia's careful watch—balancing duty, danger, and drama in equal measure.
