ALEISTERShe stabbed herself. For me. Why am I not surprised? One moment Nirana was in control of her senses, but when she tried to hurt me, Agrona broke through. The next moment, she took out the dagger from under her dress and stabbed her chest. Without hesitation. Without giving me the chance to register her movement. Without waiting to think. “ As long as I live… ” She utters quietly. I move from my spot, approaching her with my heavy feet.“ No one…will hurt you, Leister. ”That’s what she said to me before, when we were children, when I sat on the throne for the first time, after I killed Clara. As long as I live, no one will hurt you.I crouch in front of her, my gaze flickering to the dagger in her chest. Agrona groans, shaking her head.“ She will take over again, Leister. ” She whispers, raising her bloodied hand towards me. It feels like I am not here, not in my body but somewhere far and it’s only happening in my imagination.“ The Princess can heal you. ” I grip he

AVERYAleister has washed the blood off his body and is now wearing a set of clean clothes—a black button-down shirt with black pants. Everything about him looks put together, even the coldness in his eyes except for the emotions he is hiding behind the hard exterior. I wrap my arms around myself and stand beside the doors, my back against the wall and my eyes on the man sitting on the throne. When the doors close, fear spreads in the air. Instinctively, people drop to their knees, showing respect to the King again.“ We apologize, My King. ”“ Spare our life, My King. ”“ Have Mercy, My King. ”Aleister’s cold gaze sweeps across the kneeling people until his eyes find me standing there, just staring at him. I expect him to look at me coldly too…because I did play some part in Agrona’s death.But, his eyes soften the same way they do. No one sees how vulnerability reflects in his gaze as he stares at me, as if asking me to come to him and embrace him.‘ I am here. I am not going an

AVERY“ You know how it goes, Princess… ” Aleister murmurs. “ I was not born to be anything special. From the moment I started understanding what life is, I was already told that I was to die when my brother became the King. ”He told me this before. But I don’t stop him as he speaks in a low voice.“ When the servants mocked us brothers, when the witches told us what they were going to our bodies once we were dead, when our father shot us cold looks as if he couldn’t wait for us to die…Drew, my brother was the only one who said that it didn’t matter. ” Aleister sighs and leans closer.“ It might sound strange but…The world I was born in…didn’t teach us hope. When I was told that I must die, I thought it was my destiny. It was scary and cruel…and it hurt…but I never thought about fighting it. The previous Princes were killed. And so I didn’t even find it odd. ”I swallow, and place my hand over his forearm. The detached tone he is using doesn’t sit right with me because it doesn’t mat

AVERY“ She was right. ” He murmurs over my lips. “ I wished death upon him. The day I found out what he did to me, I wished with all my heart that he died. And…he did. He died. ”“ No. ” I snap, cupping his cheeks again. “ How can you believe it’s your fault?! You were right to be angry, Aleister. ”“ No. I— ”“ Look at me. ” My voice rises, as anger surges in my veins.Slowly, he blinks his eyes open and stares into mine. My heart drowns as I find the pain reflecting in his gaze.How could they do this to him? I always thought the woman he loved must be an angel, but she was the worst devil to exist. How could she blame him for anything when she was the one who went around cheating on him with his brother?How could he be blamed if his father decided to kill his brother?“ Did you do anything to make your Father hurt your brother? ” I whisper, as my eyes burn.Aleister shakes his head. “ I would never. Even if he had taken my life, I wouldn’t have…done anything to him. ”“ Then ho

AVERYThe world around me stills. My hands holding his waist drop by my side. For a few seconds, I try to make sense of his words, and when they sink in…I find myself numb.‘ No matter what you believe, I will be there when you need me. ’ He said this to me the day I left home and said goodbye to the North forever.But he never came. I needed him so many times. At every turn, every time I was near my death, every time I was in pain, every time I was scared…The person I wanted to reach out to...was him. My brother.But he didn’t come.As my thoughts go down the worst way, another memory resurfaces.‘ Foreign little creatures. ’‘ Someone sent them for you, Princess. ’When I heard the water spirit saying this…I felt his presence. No one in this world can manipulate water like this except Dustin. A noose tightens around my throat, making it impossible to breathe without feeling an ache. My hands clench and unclench as I try to form words.“ He’s been here for days, just camping outsi