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 wind howled across the hills as Milena and Gareth left the castle grounds under cover of darkness. The flames rising from the ruins lit the sky behind them — a signal. A warning.

"They'll know you survived," Gareth said. "That ring will set every bloodhound on your trail."

Milena didn't respond. Her thoughts were locked on the journal pressed to her chest, and the ring pulsing warmth against her skin. So this is what it feels like to carry a legacy…

As they reached the edge of the woods, Gareth paused. "Where to now?"

Milena turned to him. "The Abbey of Silent Stars. There's a Sister there — Maera. She served my mother before the purge. If she's alive, she remembers my name."

"The name they buried?" Gareth asked.

Milena looked ahead. "Yes. The one the crown forbade anyone to speak. My true name."

The journey was slow. The forests surrounding the capital were known for shadowbeasts — creatures twisted by old magic, drawn to warmth and fear. Milena kept her ring covered, but it still glowed faintly under the cloth.

Gareth led with a blade drawn, and Milena followed silently, thoughts spinning.

They reached the abbey ruins at dawn. What had once been a grand stone hall was now cracked and crawling with vines. Yet beneath the bell tower, a single candle flickered.

Inside, a woman in pale robes knelt before an altar, her back straight despite her age.

The woman turned slowly — her eyes landing first on Gareth, then on Milena.

"That ring…" she breathed. "It cannot be…"

Milena stepped forward. "I am Milena of House Eldryn. Daughter of the flame. I have returned."

Sister Maera dropped to her knees, tears spilling freely.

"They tried to erase you," she whispered. "But the flame endures."

Outside, a low howl echoed from the trees.

Gareth tensed. "They've found us again."

But Milena didn't flinch. She turned to the altar and spoke softly.

"Then let them come. This time, we don't run. We remind them why they feared our name."

The Name They Buried