- THE PRIN

e wide stone window of the inner chamber, watching the lantern vines pulse with soft blue l

tai

e were a

e sh

d let out a shaky breath. The silver fl

soundly now, his chest rising and falling in steady waves. She had watched over him for

said, each time wi

didn't k

tr

nd a soft groan escaped his throat. Aiden

," he murmured, voi

ead. "I didn't wa

iling faintly. Then the smile faded. "

Because of La

ched. "Yes. She'

e prince's betrothed-or whoever Seraphina was-but the thought of A

e?" Lyria

nough that she knew th

said finally. "And the king-my father-promised I

pulse st

n kept s

k," he said, staring out the window. "Eve

shifted b

the first thing th

d away quickly, fighting the

en know me,"

his head. "I

l Tr

r outside the chamber. The door swung open and several high-rank

den's expression ha

s that we escort you to the royal carriage at dawn, and ens

o Lyria-sharp, eva

e slight pull of his healing wound. "S

eats. Her magic is unregistered. Unbound. And she carries no citizenship papers. Her pr

xchanged une

nder royal watch," one o

but the tensi

xhaled shakily. "You don't ha

n said gent

That Be

on serious. "There's something you nee

nodded

oyal name carries burden. So before we

confusion. "You

middle name. The one I prefer. The one only those I

Prince Aiden Thorne E

seemed t

h the room-the silver fl

Ever

the name like it

"You're the heir.

nodded

-not with arrogance,

"The man who owes you more than I can ever pay. And th

d seemed

against her ribs,

ered, "I fe

d with something dan

dow of

epen, loud shouting echoed

re for

aphina ap

es widened

ic threading his voice. "She was

silver flame inside h

at you aren't alone?"

ina is powerful. And possessive. She

es

lose-his voice low and fierce. "She does not own

tched. But she ha

r doors sl

me and cold mag

nd gold. Her eyes glowed like molten emeralds. Her be

Serap

he room before l

t did-the

said slowly, dang

instinctively standing be

rcely, "is the girl

a's lips

? Near the heir? That

ned, her pul

en didn

e said. "End o

flickering with magic tha

, voice deadly sweet, "ma

nd brush hers-subtle,

to me," he

breath

eyes turne

oment, Ly

not simply a po

ced in silk. A stor

st marked Lyri

ed back, hi

d, "stay close to m

e danger of her exile was nothing compare