Isoda

> They erased her name. Burned her bloodline. Left her for dead.

But Milena survived. Reborn into the heart of the empire that destroyed her, she moves through the royal courts like a shadow—silent, sharp, watching.

She has no interest in love. No patience for power games. Only one goal: make the crown remember what it tried to forget.

Then she meets him—the Crown Prince.
The man who unknowingly signed her family’s death.
The man who starts to notice her.
The man who, slowly… she can’t stop thinking about.

This is not the story of a girl who wanted to be queen.

This is the story of a forgotten heir who falls in love with her enemy… and still plans to bring down the kingdom

The forgotten blood

The chamber trembled under the echo of boots. The Royal Hunters were close now — swords drawn, cloaks dragging through the dust of Milena's forgotten sanctuary.

Gareth looked to her. "We can't fight them, Milena. Not like this."

Milena stared down at the glowing ring on her finger — the fox curled in flame. "Then we don't fight," she said. "We make them chase shadows."

She grabbed the journal, slipped it beneath her cloak, and moved toward the far wall. Her fingers brushed the carvings. "There's always another way out. My ancestors wouldn't build a sanctuary with only one path."

Sure enough, when she pressed the fox's eye, a crack split the stone wall beside them. A narrow exit opened — just enough for the two of them.

As they slipped through, voices rang out behind them.

"Search the ruins! The girl is here — she has the ring!"

Milena's heart pounded. They knew. Not just about the journal or the crest — they knew about the ring. The Flame.

Once outside, they emerged into the forgotten edges of the castle grounds, where broken statues lay buried under wild vines. The stars above blinked silently, unaware of the danger below.

"We need allies," Gareth said, panting. "We can't keep running."

Milena nodded. "And I know where to find them."

She looked to the distant mountains, far beyond the capital. "The Outcast Court. Those who remember Eldryn. Those who vanished when my house fell. If anyone will help me reclaim my legacy — it's them."

Gareth's eyes widened. "You want to walk into the land of banished nobles and exiled mages?"

"No," Milena said. "I want to march into it. As the heir of Eldryn."

Behind them, the ruins burst into flames — unnatural and red. Someone had set the sanctuary ablaze.

Milena didn't look back. The past had burned once before. This time, she would rise from its ashes.

The Hunt Begins