Aurora's POV
After returning to his homeland and forming an alliance with Duke Castanier — now crowned king of Alpengard — Cassian began restoring his war-ravaged kingdom.
Just as he'd promised, he made me his queen.
I thought life would finally look brighter from here. But once again, I had chosen the wrong man.
Cassian may have had royal blood, but that was all he had. He was dirt poor, his name the only crown he wore.
Every coin, every breath went toward rebuilding his nation, there was nothing left for me.
Worse yet, I found myself bearing that burden alongside him.
Still, I endured. I waited. I told myself: once everything stabilized, prosperity would follow.
A year passed. Then another. And yet nothing improved — on the contrary, everything grew darker.
Cassian began showing signs. Familiar signs.
He made me wear dark-colored gowns. He even sought ways to dye my hair red.
He forced me to act arrogant, to be cruel to those around me.
