Violet_167

Isabella Beaumont figured she was making a smart, if desperate, trade: her freedom in exchange for marrying the dreaded Duke Alaric Thorne. 
Sure, the guy had a reputation darker than a moonless night, whispered about in every corner of the kingdom, but it was just a contract, right? A way to escape a brutal past that had literally left its mark on her face. 
She wasn’t expecting warmth, and definitely not passion. But then Alaric, this formidable, feared man, starts acting… protective. His unexpected kindness will make her want to throw away her protective mask and actually fall for the man who was supposed to be just her ticket to freedom. 
Just as Isabella starts believing she might actually deserve happiness, everything begins falling apart around them.
With the villains on the loose, old wounds being ripped open, and everyone’s true colors showing, is this sudden, fierce love strong enough to survive the storm? Or will the darkness from their pasts and the deadly games shatter everything they’re starting to build?

The Masked Duchess

The Royal Archives were housed in the oldest wing of the palace, a section rarely opened to anyone outside the royal family and their most trusted advisors. As I followed the white-gloved archivist down winding corridors lined with portraits of stern-faced monarchs, I couldn't help but feel like an intruder in a sacred space.


"His Majesty was most insistent about granting you access, Miss Bennett," the archivist said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Though I must confess, it's highly unusual."


I clutched my leather satchel tighter, acutely aware of the weight of this privilege. "I understand. My grandmother's connection to Queen Seraphina's family is distant, but I'm grateful King Edmund considers it sufficient."


The archivist stopped before an ornate door reinforced with iron bands. He produced a heavy key from his pocket. "The King mentioned your research on Duke Alaric and Duchess Isabella Thorne. You'll find King Theron's personal journals most illuminating, I expect."


Chapter 168 - The Royal Archives Unearthed