Chapter 1

She had served the king for three years, but the king, seemingly devoid of passion, had summoned her to his bedchamber no fewer than 999 times.

When, at last, he succumbed once more to slumber, she slipped carefully from the bed, taking great care not to disturb him. Every mark of their recent intimacy remained upon her person. Very softly, she whistled.

Within moments, a dark-cloaked figure alighted upon the window ledge with scarcely a sound.

“Have you considered this thoroughly?” Ciaran Noche’s voice was cooler than the night itself.

Gathering her robe more tightly about herself, she answered in little more than a whisper. “I have. I wish to quit the palace.”

Ciaran regarded her. “Your name is entered in the palace rolls. You cannot simply walk away. Unless you are prepared to feign your own death and forsake your present face for the remainder of your days, there is no escape.”

“So be it.” Snow nodded. Whether she must die in the eyes of the world or assume another countenance altogether mattered little. If it purchased her freedom, she would pay the price without hesitation.

“I shall return for you in a fortnight.” Ciaran disappeared into the darkness, leaving no trace that he had ever been there.

Snow looked up at the slender crescent moon in the sky and released a long, weary sigh.

Soon, it would all end.

She had never been meant to belong within the palace. Her arrival at court had been nothing more than an accident of fate.

Chapter 1

Three years ago, she had still been the most unloved illegitimate daughter of the prime minister.

Verde Lakefield, her older sister, was her father’s darling daughter and was in a loving relationship with Aleron Tavron, the then sixth prince.

But Gregory Lakefield, her father, had thought that the fourth prince possessed the greater prospect of ascending the throne. Thus, he tore them apart and compelled Verde to marry the fourth prince instead.

To the astonishment of all, it was Aleron who was crowned king in the end.

In his fury, Aleron demoted Gregory.

In a desperate attempt to appease the king, he sent Snow into the palace to serve him and to endure whatever punishment he chose to inflict.

Snow still remembered the first time she met Aleron.

The young king, striking in appearance and clad entirely in black, had stood before her as she knelt upon the floor, his countenance as cold as stone. “You are one of the Lakefields?”

As everyone had anticipated, Aleron poured the whole of his bitterness upon her.

She was whipped, made to kneel for hours together, and forced to stand barefoot upon shattered pottery through the bitter cold of winter. There was scarcely a part of her that escaped without injury.

Then, one night, overcome by wine, he mistook her for Verde. He took her by force.

The error endured for three years.

Night after night, she was summoned to his bed until, at length, she found herself unable to bear it any longer.

She had resolved only to endure until her years of service had come to an end, but on the very day she was to leave, the King’s attendant prevented her.

“His Majesty has declared that you are not to leave the grounds,” Emmanuel Jefferson, the king’s attendant, practically screeched.

Only then did she understand the truth. So long as the king desired it, she would never leave this gilded prison.

Fortune, however, had offered her a single ray of hope. A year before, by the merest chance, she had rescued a grievously wounded man dressed all in black.

Only afterwards did she discover that he was Ciaran Noche, the most feared assassin in the kingdom.

“I owe you my life,” he had told her. “Ask one favor of me, and it shall be granted.”

She only had one wish, and that was her freedom.

As she returned to the bedside, she found herself met by a pair of cold, dark eyes.

Standing beside the bed, he regarded her in silence before asking, “Where have you been?”

“I was thirsty and wanted some water,” she replied, striving to keep her voice steady.

Aleron’s gaze turned even colder. “Get back to bed.”

She obeyed without protest, whereupon he caught her beneath the chin. “Fix this well in your memory. Without my permission, you are not to leave.”

“As you will.”

Apparently satisfied, he released her, only to draw her once more into his embrace.

As the scent of ambergris enveloped her, Snow closed her eyes and silently counted the days that remained until she might finally be free.

The next morning, Snow found her legs so weakened that they would scarcely support her weight.

Aleron scoffed at her plight. “Truly, you are useless. You cannot even stand after serving me but a few times? I’ll have the carriage take you back.”

“I wouldn’t dare—”

Before she could finish, he stooped without ceremony, gathered her into his arms, and carried her from the chamber.

“This is against the rules, Your Majesty!” she protested, clutching at his sleeve in alarm.

“Silence!”

The single word invited no argument. He placed her within the carriage himself.

When they reached the palace’s laundry house, Aleron suddenly lifted a hand, signaling the attendants to halt.

Snow followed the direction of his gaze.

A maid clad in blue was hanging freshly washed garments out to dry.

It was Ametsa Marsh. She bore a passing resemblance to Verde.

“Bring that maid to my chambers tonight,” Aleron said at last.

Emmanuel required no further explanation. He immediately dispatched someone to carry the King’s command, and the news left Ametsa in the highest spirits for the remainder of the day.

She reportedly washed the laundry with unusual diligence and bathed several times in anticipation of the evening.

Snow, meanwhile, paid it little mind. Aleron had been too rough yesterday, and even at this point, her thoughts remained clouded, her limbs felt as though they were fashioned of lead, and a fever smoldered beneath her skin.

When the hour appointed for her duties arrived and she had still not appeared, Emmanuel came to inquire after her.

“I’m feeling quite unwell, Mr. Jefferson. Please tell His Majesty that I need to rest,” she said feebly as she lay in bed.

Emmanuel pitied her and said, “Rest well. I shall convey your words to His Majesty.”

When he had departed, silence settled over the little chamber once more.

Yet the fever refused to break. Even after taking medicine, the burning only seemed to deepen.

It was well after nightfall, while her mind still wandered in a haze, that the door was thrown open. Ametsa rushed inside, tears glistening in her eyes, and struck Snow sharply across the face.

“You did this deliberately, did you not? I had at last found favor in His Majesty’s eyes, yet before I could share his bed, you suddenly took ill.

“He was so concerned for you that he dismissed me and came in search of you! His Majesty has taken no queen all these years and has had only you attend him by night. Do you mean to keep him entirely for yourself?”

Snow scarcely understood what was being said. The fever had robbed her of clear thought. How could Aleron possibly harbor any affection for her?

“I’m truly unwell…”

Ametsa refused to believe a word of it. Blinded by jealousy, she struck Snow again and again. “All you know is how to entice men, you shameless creature! Before this night is over, I shall tear that pretty face to pieces!”

Already exhausted by illness, Snow found herself unable to endure such senseless accusations.

“I am about to leave,” she blurted out at last. “Why would I seek to seduce him?”

“Leave?”

The single word, uttered in a voice cold enough to still the room, came from the doorway.

Aleron stood upon the threshold with a ruthlessness in his gaze that admitted no comfort. “Where are you going, Snow?”

Chapter 2

Snow snapped to full alertness, and her back was drenched in cold sweat.

With great effort, she forced herself upright and spoke in a weak, trembling voice. “The fever has clouded my mind, and I was speaking without sense. I believed myself so ill that I thought I might not survive.”

Aleron regarded her coldly before giving a dismissive scoff. “You appear perfectly well to me.”

With those words, he turned and departed once more.

The instant the door closed behind him, Ametsa’s composure vanished. “How dare you seduce His Majesty?! I’ll kill you!”

She rushed toward Snow, grabbed her by the hair, and slammed her against the bedpost.

The sudden attack left her senses reeling. She wished to defend herself, yet her body would not obey her. Even the simple act of raising her hand seemed beyond her strength.

Ametsa’s slaps landed on her face in furious fervor, and her nails scratched her face.

“Do you truly imagine His Majesty cares for you? You are nothing more than a toy to him!” She kicked her in the chest.

The pain became too much to bear. Snow’s vision darkened, and she slipped once more into unconsciousness.

When she next awoke, the first thing she heard was the sound of desperate cries rising from the courtyard below.

“Your Majesty, I have realized my error! I shall never repeat it. Please, show mercy!”

Snow forced herself from the bed and made her way toward the window. She saw Ametsa bound to a bench outside while two servants whipped her.

Her rear was a bloody mess, and her cries became weaker.

Aleron stood apart from the others, his hands clasped behind his back. The wind stirred the folds of his robes, yet he remained as unmoving as a statue.

When he noticed her gaze, he turned to see Snow standing by the window. The faintest trace of disdain appeared in his eyes. “You truly are useless.”

He entered the chamber and looked upon her with displeasure. “Why did you not speak when you were treated in such a manner?”

Snow lowered herself into a deep curtsy. “My apologies.”

Aleron grabbed her chin and raised her head to look at him. “Remember your place. You are a toy the Lakefields have placed in my possession. Aside from myself, no one is permitted to harm you.”

“As you will,” Snow said softly, but she felt a chill settle within her heart.

She knew it. He did not wish to lose the toy he used whenever he required an outlet for his anger.

Seeing that she was no longer in immediate danger, Aleron turned away. “Come with me. You shall attend to me in my study.”

Snow followed him and carefully gathered the writing instruments and books he requested.

But the injury upon her hand reopened, and a drop of blood fell upon the parchment.

Aleron’s brow furrowed.

With a flicker of displeasure, he threw a small packet of ointment toward her forehead.

Smack!

“Leave! To think that you cannot even carry out such simple instructions! You are truly useless.”

The ointment pack had left a red mark on her forehead before falling to the floor.

She picked it up silently.

“You will not come to my chambers for the next two days,” Aleron continued. “Instead, you shall oversee the preparations for the Harvest Festival banquet. If you make even the slightest mistake, I shall have you executed.”

“As Your Majesty commands.” Cradling her aching forehead, Snow bowed and withdrew.

After applying the ointment and tending to the injury upon her hand, she devoted herself entirely to the preparations for the banquet.

It was not long before Emmanuel approached her. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Do not be troubled, Miss Snow. His Majesty asked you to prepare for the banquet because he has taken notice of the injury to your hand. Had he truly been displeased with you, he would not have spared you so easily.”

“You jest, Mr. Jefferson,” Snow whispered and shook her head.

Aleron had never shown her anything but resentment. How could he possibly pity her?

He had merely sent her away because he could not tolerate her carelessness.

Seeing that she remained unconvinced, Emmanuel could only sigh and leave the matter alone.

Two days passed, and at last the evening of the Harvest Festival banquet arrived.

The court officials entered the hall accompanied by their wives, each taking their appointed places.

Among them were Verde and William Tavron, her husband and the fourth prince.

They arrived together with their hands joined, and their affection for one another apparent to all who witnessed it.

When they had taken their seats, William gently smoothed the folds of Verde’s gown. Their devotion was so evident that even those who looked upon them could not help but admire it.

“Announcing the arrival of His Majesty, King Aleron!” Emmanuel’s voice rang throughout the hall, and every person present immediately rose to bow before the King.

Snow followed behind Aleron.

Though his expression remained as composed and unreadable as ever, and though he carried himself with complete ease, Snow sensed that his attention rested elsewhere. His gaze had fallen upon Verde and William.

He was jealous. Yet he concealed it perfectly.

The banquet proceeded without incident, but as the evening continued, Aleron’s mood appeared to grow increasingly colder.

Then, without warning, he drew Snow toward him.

A wave of panic rose within her. When he tore her garments without restraint, she immediately understood his intention.

“Your Majesty…” she whispered in a trembling voice. “Not here…”

Chapter 3

Aleron deliberately tormented her. “You have neither the right to question whom I choose to embrace, nor the place in which I choose to do so.”

Snow lowered her eyes, but she did not fail to notice, from the corner of her vision, the change that had come over Verde.

The color had departed from her face, and her fingers had tightened so firmly around her handkerchief that the delicate fabric trembled between them.

It was only then that Snow understood that this was not merely an act of thoughtless cruelty.

Aleron’s pride had been wounded by the sight of Verde’s affection for another man, and he sought to awaken within her the same jealousy that had long tormented him.

But what of her?

She was a woman. Had he ever considered the humiliation and indignity of being made a spectacle before the very court that watched in silence?

The officials turned away, their expressions carefully composed. Even the musicians ceased their playing.

The grand chamber fell into a deathly silence which was only broken by the sounds of garments being torn and her sobs.

When Aleron at last withdrew, he did so with the same composure with which he had entered. His garments remained untouched, and his dignity preserved.

Snow, however, was left with nothing but the remnants of her pride.

She sank from the throne like a discarded thing, yet Aleron did not spare her even a passing glance before leaving.

The servants remained turned away, each pretending that the scene before them had never occurred.

Snow remained upon the floor. Her hands clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

In that moment, she understood the place she occupied in Aleron’s eyes. She was not a woman to him. She was not even a person.

By the time the banquet ended, Snow could scarcely make her way back to her chamber. Her steps faltered, and her knees trembled beneath her, yet she continued forward.

Then, without warning, a force struck against her back.

“Ahhh!!!”

A cry escaped her lips as she fell into the icy waters of the lake. The cold seized her instantly.

She struggled desperately toward the shore, and her fingers at last found the stones around the lake, only for another force to send her back into the depths.

“Help…”

The word escaped her faintly before the water swallowed it. Her strength faded. Her thoughts grew distant.

Just before darkness claimed her, she saw a figure standing beside the lake.

It was Verde.

When Snow next awakened, she found herself lying in a quiet side chamber.

Her throat burned, and every breath felt painfully difficult.

“You’re awake?” Verde sat beside her, dressed in a gown of exquisite beauty. The jewels at her ears swayed delicately as she moved. She was a picture of elegance and grace.

“Do you truly believe that a few nights in His Majesty’s company have granted you power? You mistake his attention for affection. You are merely a means by which he releases his anger.

“Once His Majesty forgives me, he shall bring me into the palace. When that day arrives, you will no longer have any place beside him, no matter how desperately you wish otherwise.”

Snow opened her lips to answer.

She wished to say that she had never sought Aleron’s favor, nor desired the affection Verde believed she possessed.

Slap!

But before she could speak, Verde suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself.

In the next moment, turning her gaze toward the door, she allowed tears to gather in her eyes. “I was only concerned for you, Snow. How could you do such a thing to me?”

Before Snow could comprehend the deception, the door was thrown open.

Aleron entered with a dark and severe expression. “Do you have a death wish?”

Snow immediately lowered herself into a curtsy. “I did not do it, Your Majesty.”

She had always known that even though Aleron resented Verde for becoming another man’s wife, he had never ceased loving her.

He had not brought her into the palace as his queen because circumstances prevented him from doing so. He had only just claimed the throne, and he could not take another man’s wife as his sovereign consort.

But once his position was secure, Snow knew he would eventually make Verde his queen.

“Quiet!” Aleron roared and turned to Verde. “Leave us.”

Verde hesitated, feigning concern. “But Your Majesty, my sister…”

“Do not worry. I shall ensure she pays tenfold for what she has done,” Aleron said coldly.

A fleeting satisfaction passed through Verde’s eyes, though her voice remained gentle as she said, “Is that not rather severe?”

But Aleron ignored her and gestured. “Do it.”

Two servants stepped forward. They grabbed Snow by her hair and dragged her out of bed before striking her repeatedly.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

The sound was deafening in the quiet room.

Snow’s face was swollen. Blood traversed the corners of her mouth as her vision turned dark.

In the end, her strength failed her and she slumped to the floor. The last thing she was aware of was Aleron turning away and leaving the chamber with Verde beside him.

…

The following morning, Snow forced herself to attend upon Aleron as she had always done.

She kept her head lowered as she poured his drink.

But when he saw her swollen face, he scowled and flung the cup to the floor.

“You’re a horrid sight!” he said coldly. “With your face in such a condition, you resemble her not at all. Return to your room. Do not sully my eyes.”

“My apologies. I shall take my leave,” Snow lowered herself into a curtsy.

No sooner had she left than Emmanuel caught up with her. “One moment, Miss Snow.”

He presented a small bottle to her. “This is an ointment for your injuries. His Majesty entrusted it to me. I possess only this one bottle, so you must make careful use of it.”

Snow felt touched. “Thank you, Mr. Jefferson.”

From a distance, Aleron watched her retreating figure. For a long while, he remained silent, his expression unreadable.

“Why trouble yourself in such a manner, Your Majesty? If you truly have concern for her, you might have given the ointment to her yourself,” Emmanuel said.

Chapter 4

“Silence!” Aleron’s voice cut sharply through the room as he struck the papers against the table. “You have no place to concern yourself with my affairs.”

Emmanuel hurriedly apologized. “My apologies, Your Majesty. Please forgive me.”

…

Upon returning to her chamber, Snow applied the ointment before the mirror.

It was, without question, a remarkable remedy. Within only two days, the injuries upon her face had faded considerably, leaving behind little trace of what had occurred.

Since this rare moment of reprieve afforded her some measure of privacy, she quietly gathered the few belongings she intended to take with her and exchanged several pieces of jewelry that held little practical value for money.

The following day, the queen mother summoned Aleron, Verde, and William to her presence.

Aleron dragged Snow along with him.

After the meal had concluded, the queen mother regarded her son. “It’s been three years, and still you haven’t taken a wife. It is time you selected a queen and secured an heir.”

Aleron merely turned the cup in his hand. “I have yet to bring complete peace to the kingdom. Marriage is not a matter I have the leisure to consider.”

The queen mother could only sigh in resignation.

For three years, she had heard the same excuse repeated countless times, and each time she found herself powerless to change his mind.

She knew very well the true reason behind his refusal. Her gaze then shifted toward Verde. “Lady Verde, it is also time that you and William consider having a child.”

The words had scarcely left her lips when a sharp sound rang through the room.

Aleron’s cup had broken in his hand. A thin line of blood appeared upon his palm, yet he seemed not to notice.

At that moment, Snow was pouring their drinks. Without warning, he drew her toward him and seated her upon his lap. “Dress my wound.”

The scent of blood reached her senses.

The world seemed to turn, and before she could stop herself, Snow became ill.

In her panic, she immediately lowered her head in apology, but the queen mother’s expression brightened. “Could it be that you are with child? Summon the royal physician at once!”

The change in Aleron’s expression was immediate. The warmth that had briefly appeared upon Verde’s face vanished as well, and tears gathered in her eyes.

When the physician finally confirmed that Snow was indeed carrying a child, she felt as though the ground had disappeared beneath her feet. She was pregnant with Aleron’s child!

“She is unwell,” Aleron said coldly. “I shall take her back to rest.”

Before anyone could object, he led her away.

When they returned to her chamber, Aleron placed a bowl before her.

“Drink.”

With trembling hands, Snow took the bowl. With no choice but to obey, she lifted the bowl and drank.

The pain that followed soon overwhelmed her. She sank down, barely aware of anything around her, until even consciousness began to slip away. Blood flowed from between her legs, and she almost fainted from the agony.

For one fleeting moment, she thought she saw something akin to regret in Aleron’s eyes.

But it could only have been an illusion. How could Aleron ever pity her?

His heart had always belonged to Verde.

Only when the royal physician confirmed that the child was gone did Aleron finally leave with the others.

The moment the door closed behind them, Verde entered with several attendants.

“Lock the door!” she ordered coldly.

Before Snow could react, Verde’s anger had already found its target. Her kick landed on her stomach.

“Ahhh!!!”

Overwhelming pain filled her. It hurt so much that she doubled over. Cold sweat drenched her clothes.

“You witch!” Verde’s composure finally broke. She seized Snow by the hair and forced her to meet her gaze. “Have you learned nothing? How dare you carry His Majesty’s child?!”

Snow shook her head weakly. “I did not intend for this to happen…”

Her tears mingled with the remnants of sweat from her fever and exhaustion. “I had no control over it…”

But Verde had no desire to hear her explanation. Her expression hardened as she turned toward the attendants behind her. “See that she can never conceive again.”

Their hits and strikes rained down upon her. The pain overwhelmed her, and before long, darkness claimed her once more.

When she awoke again, the chamber was empty.

For a long while, Snow lay there without moving. Then, with trembling hands, she touched her stomach, and tears quietly slipped down her cheeks.

Perhaps this was for the best.

That child had never been meant to enter a world such as this. Perhaps it was kinder that they had been spared such a fate.

In the days that followed, Snow was no longer summoned to attend upon Aleron at night.

He did not seek her. He did not inquire after her. It was as though she had vanished from his thoughts entirely.

Then, one day, Aleron suddenly entered her chamber without warning.

His gaze immediately fell upon the papers scattered across her desk. Upon each page, the same word had been written again and again.

[Leave]

His expression darkened like thunderclouds gathering before a storm.

“You wish to leave?” He seized the papers and tore them apart before her eyes. “Rid yourself of such foolish thoughts, Snow. Even if you flee to the very ends of the earth, I shall find you.”

Chapter 5

Snow was left stunned.

Aleron still loved Verde.

Even after the passing of three years, he had yet to make her his wife.

Why, then, did he continue to keep her confined within the palace walls?

She lowered her head and replied in a quiet voice, “I would never presume to do so.”

Aleron studied her pale countenance and fragile appearance, and his brows drew together slightly. “Since you have recovered, you shall remain by my side and attend to me from this day onward.”

From that moment, Aleron appeared to find fault with every meal that was presented before him.

No matter how carefully the royal kitchens prepared their nourishing dishes, he would taste them only once before setting them aside and pushing them toward Snow. “It’s dreadful. You shall eat this.”

Snow had no choice but to accept the food beneath his watchful gaze.

Before she was even aware, she began recovering.

…

During one of the royal hunting excursions, Aleron insisted on taking Snow with him.

At the hunting grounds, Verde rode alongside William. Aleron’s expression immediately cooled. Without warning, he reached out and pulled Snow onto his horse.

“Ah!” A startled sound escaped her before she could restrain herself.

“Quiet!” His arm remained firmly around her waist as he looked down at her with displeasure. “Are you not Verde’s sister? She’s never so easily frightened.

“Cry out once more, and I shall throw you from this horse and allow the others to trample you beneath their feet.”

Snow pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. She was unwilling to look upon the distance below or the danger of the ride.

Aleron gave a faint, humorless scoff and turned his attention back to the hunt. Before long, he had secured an impressive amount of game.

Without warning, a multitude of men dressed in black emerged from the forest.

“Protect His Majesty!”

The royal guards immediately drew their swords and surrounded the King. However, amid the confusion, Snow and Verde were separated from the others and captured.

When Snow regained consciousness, she found herself suspended beside a steep cliff.

A bandit stood before them. His laughter was harsh and filled with resentment as he held his weapon near Snow and Verde. “Aleron, you destroyed my family, and today, I shall take the two women you value most from you!”

Aleron merely looked upon him with a gaze devoid of warmth. Then, to the bandit’s surprise, he laughed. “The two women I value the most?”

“Verde is already another man’s wife. I have no desire for a woman who belongs to someone else. But Snow has belonged to me since the day she entered the palace. Return her to me, and you may do whatever you wish with Verde.”

Snow’s eyes widened.

At such a moment, when the bandit’s hatred was directed entirely toward them, he had chosen her.

Snow realized that he had not truly forsaken Verde. He had merely lied to divert the bandit’s wrath and spare the woman he loved.

As Snow expected, the bandit threw back his head and laughed. “Very well! I shall perish with this woman and leave you to suffer for the rest of your days!”

Before his words had fully faded, he released Verde and plunged from the cliff with Snow.

At the instant she fell, Snow thought she saw a fierce anguish burning within Aleron’s eyes. His lips moved as though he were calling out to her, but whatever words he spoke were lost to her ears.

Snow had only enough time to brace herself for the inevitable impact, certain that the force of it would leave no part of her unbroken.

The cold invaded her senses, and pain coursed through her entire body as she drifted helplessly within the depths, suspended in a darkness that seemed without end.

“You have finally awakened, Miss Snow!”

A sharp voice reached her through the haze. With great difficulty, Snow opened her eyes. The first sight that greeted her was Emmanuel’s weathered face.

“If you had woken up any later, His Majesty might very well have ordered every royal physician in the kingdom punished.

“His Majesty commanded servants to search for you throughout the entire day and night. After a long and desperate search, they finally discovered you downstream…” Emmanuel wiped the sweat off his brow.

Snow stared at him in astonishment.

‘His Majesty? Does he mean Aleron?’ she pondered.

He was the very man who had driven her to the brink of death. Why would he have done such a thing?

The door swung open. Aleron entered the chamber and approached her. He looked down upon her with the same cold and unreadable gaze she had come to know so well.

“It is fortunate that you are not dead. I have not yet finished tormenting you.” He sneered.

Snow lowered her head. She understood.

He had rescued her for no reason other than to continue his cruelty.

“I understand,” she whispered.

Chapter 6

In the days that followed, Aleron came to her chamber each morning and examined her injuries himself.

Once he had assured himself that she still drew breath and remained among the living, he would depart without offering a single word of comfort or inquiry.

One afternoon, Verde came unexpectedly for a visit.

“Are you feeling somewhat recovered, dear sister?” Her smile was gentle, almost affectionate, as she approached Snow’s bedside and offered her assistance in rising. “I requested His Majesty’s permission to come and see you.”

Snow regarded her warily. “What is it that you truly wish to accomplish?”

“How could you speak so cruelly to me?” Verde teared up sorrowfully. “It is only natural that I should concern myself with the welfare of my own sister.”

At that moment, Aleron emerged.

With a suddenness that seemed almost too deliberate, Verde sank gracefully to the floor, and tears immediately filled her eyes.

“Your Majesty, the token you entrusted to me is gone! The very token you gave me when you promised that I should one day become your wife…”

Snow felt her heart rise into her throat.

“What has happened?” Aleron frowned.

“I have seen no one but Snow today.” She turned her gaze toward Snow. The meaning behind her words was impossible to ignore. “Unless she was the one who took it, there’s no one else who could have had the opportunity.”

Snow’s expression changed at once. “I did not do it.”

Yet her words carried little weight, for moments later the servants returned with the missing token. It had been discovered beneath her pillow. It had been broken into pieces.

“How could you, Snow?!” Verde’s tears fell more freely. “You know perfectly well how much this token means to me. Are you so envious that I was once betrothed to His Majesty? Is that why you have committed such an act?”

Aleron’s gaze moved slowly between the two women before finally resting upon Snow. “Did you do this?”

Snow lowered herself into a curtsy and said calmly, “I know my place, Your Majesty. I have never desired that which could never belong to me. I beg you to investigate this matter further before judgment is passed.”

For the briefest moment, an unreadable emotion crossed Aleron’s face. It appeared that he wished to say something.

But before he could speak, the two servants stepped forward.

“I witnessed Miss Snow destroy the token,” said one of them.

“She even declared that she wished Lady Verde dead,” said the other.

The instant those final words were spoken, Aleron’s expression hardened. “So this is what you mean by not desiring that which can never be yours? Have I shown you such kindness that you have forgotten your own position?

“Take her away. Have her whipped.”

Snow was bound to the post and whipped. The pain soon overwhelmed her senses, and her vision grew dim. Yet she refused to give them the satisfaction of hearing her cry. She bit down upon her lip until it nearly bled, enduring every moment in silence.

With each stroke, Aleron’s cold and merciless voice came from a distance.

“Apologize.”

But each time, Snow answered with the same quiet defiance, “I refuse.”

A darker shadow settled over Aleron’s expression. At last, he turned away. “Whip her until she apologizes!”

After twenty strokes, Snow’s back was marked with angry welts and crimson stains.

Verde approached her then. She drew close and whispered haughtily, “Do you see now? Even after I am married to another, he only cares only for me.

“Why else do you think he has refused to marry all these years? Why else would he insist upon ending your child’s life?

“Even if he shares his bed with you, it’s only because you resemble me.”

She sneered. “If you dare to dream of something that was never yours again, I shall ensure that your end is a dreadful one.”

Snow’s thoughts swam beneath the weight of her pain. Yet, strangely, she did not feel anger.

Instead, a faint smile touched her lips. Verde need not trouble herself. There was no need for her to do anything at all.

Soon, Snow would leave. When she did, she would vanish so completely that no trace of her would remain.

Chapter 7

When Snow regained consciousness, the first sensation that greeted her was the burning ache that spread across her back.

Emmanuel sat beside her bed, medicine prepared and waiting at his hand. The moment he noticed her eyes open, he immediately assisted her in sitting up.

“You have finally awakened, Miss Snow!” A troubled sigh escaped him as he handed her the medicine.

“Why must you allow your temper to lead you into conflict with His Majesty? I have served him for many years, and never before have I witnessed him remain outside another’s chamber for nearly an entire day after ordering them whipped.”

Snow accepted the medicine. The bitter liquid passed down her throat, yet it could not compare to the bitterness that had long settled within her heart.

“You give the matter too much meaning, Mr. Jefferson,” she whispered. “I was not overcome by anger toward His Majesty.”

Emmanuel shook his head. “If I may speak freely… His Majesty may be severe with you, but after he punishes you, he always…”

His voice trailed away for a moment before he resumed, “Your father placed his loyalty with the wrong prince, and it cannot be helped that you were caught in the consequences of his choice.

“When Lady Verde marries His Majesty, you need only accommodate their wishes. Life will become far easier for you.”

Snow offered no response. Instead, she reached beneath her pillow and retrieved a small purse. She placed it into Emmanuel’s hands.

“Thank you for taking care of me all this while, Mr. Jefferson.”

Emmanuel weighed the purse in his palm in surprise. “Miss Snow, what’s the meaning of this?”

“It is merely a token of my gratitude. Please take it.” Snow grimaced in pain.

Emmanuel still sensed that something was amiss, yet after a moment of hesitation, he accepted the purse.

That evening, Aleron unexpectedly summoned her to his chambers.

Snow stood before his bed.

Her voice trembled as she said, “Your Majesty, I have not yet fully recovered. My injuries may prove unpleasant to behold—”

“Remove your clothes.” Aleron interrupted her without warmth.

His expression was dark and unreadable.

Snow lowered her gaze and pressed her lips together.

Tomorrow, she would leave.

She had no desire to endure another night of suffering before her departure.

Yet if she refused him, she feared the consequences would destroy the plans she had spent so long preparing.

With trembling hands, she removed her garments as though she were a soldier walking toward the battlefield and accepting her final fate.

But before the moment could continue, hurried footsteps sounded beyond the chamber doors.

“Your Majesty, there is urgent news!” A guard entered in haste. His expression was filled with alarm.

“Lady Verde has been poisoned. The royal physician has declared that only the rarest antidote within the royal pharmacy may save her. Otherwise, she might not survive.”

Aleron rose instantly. For the first time, panic flashed unmistakably across his face.

Almost instinctively, his gaze fell upon the injuries covering Snow’s back. Then, his expression hardened once more. “Go to your chambers and rest. Come here tomorrow night.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty.” Snow lowered herself into a curtsy. As she left, relief filled her heart.

There would be no tomorrow night. There would be no need for her to return.

Once she reached her room, she began to pack only what was necessary.

At the first hint of dawn, a gentle knock sounded against her window.

“It is time.” Ciaran’s voice drifted softly into the room.

Snow changed into a set of plain, coarse robes before opening the window.

Ciaran entered with effortless grace and placed a mask into her hands. “Wear this.”

Once she fastened it upon her face, her appearance transformed completely. She became nothing more than an ordinary woman among countless others.

Ciaran then placed an arm around her waist and whispered, “Hold tightly.”

With the ease of a shadow moving through the night, he crossed the palace and carried her beyond the place that had imprisoned her for three long years.

Behind them, flames began to rise from Snow’s chamber. Within the burning room lay the body of a woman whose figure bore enough resemblance to Snow’s own to deceive those who sought her.

The fire illuminated a portion of the morning sky. Snow cast one last lingering glance upon the palace that had confined her for three years before turning away and vanishing into the quiet veil of the morning fog.

From that day forward, Snow would be but a memory within the palace walls, as though she had never existed there at all.