CHAPTER 89

A gentle breeze stirred the delicate drapes by the window, bringing with it the subtle fragrance of blooming flowers from the garden below. It was the kind of day that should have felt peaceful, maybe even comforting, but instead, a quiet restlessness settled over me. I pulled my knees to my chest, resting my chin atop them, fingers absently tracing the worn edge of the book in my lap. Not that I was actually reading it—I hadn't been for a while now.

My eyes drifted over the page, pretending to focus, but none of the words sank in. They blurred together, meaningless and distant, as my thoughts wandered back to the one thing I desperately wanted to avoid. No matter how much I tried to distract myself, it was always there, lurking at the edges of my mind, waiting for the slightest opening to take over.

Him.

His Majesty.