All Chapters of The Queen of Shadows: Chapter 1 - Chapter 6

The office was buzzing, the air thick with the clatter of keyboards and the murmur of hushed conversations. But Penelope Faelan barely registered the sound. She sat at her desk, her fingers flying over her keyboard as she finished an end-of-day report. It was the same as every other day—men staring too long, the occasional inappropriate joke, and the predictable attempts at small talk that made her skin crawl.Penelope knew the power she held in her appearance, but it felt more like a curse than a gift. Her beauty was a beacon, drawing eyes to her wherever she went. Her hair, the color of polished chestnut, shone like silk under the fluorescent lights. Her hazel eyes, flecked with gold, seemed to shimmer like molten honey. Her lips were soft and full, perpetually curved into a polite smile that masked the exhaustion she felt from constantly being scrutinized.The men in her office weren’t subtle. They lingered too long when asking her questions, their eyes dipping to her neckline or w

Penelope’s fingers gripped the hem of her dress so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her voice was barely above a whisper, trembling and raw. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You clearly have the wrong woman.”The room seemed to hold its breath, the air thick and stifling. Penelope’s wide eyes darted nervously to the three figures before her. They stood like living sculptures, each radiating an aura of power so tangible it made the space hum. Demeter’s presence was a storm barely restrained, her golden robes cascading around her like liquid sunlight. The goddess’s sharp eyes bore into Penelope with the intensity of a predator sizing up its prey. Beside her, Persephone looked like a mirror dipped in spring—her emerald gown shimmered as though woven from fresh leaves, and her golden hair seemed to glow with an inner light. Standing slightly apart, Orion lounged against the wall, his dark leathers and bronze armor giving him an air of dangerous ease. The smirk playing on his lip

The soft clink of cutlery against plates as Penelope finished the last few bites of her meal. The dining hall, vast and imposing, seemed almost too grand for just two people. Flickering candlelight reflected off the dark stone walls, their surfaces adorned with intricate carvings of ancient tales. The atmosphere felt heavy, though the food had been surprisingly comforting—a contradiction to everything Penelope had been told about her supposed new home.“You swear your mother has nothing up her sleeve?” Thanion’s voice was calm, his piercing gaze anything but. He leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on the edge of the table while the other toyed idly with the stem of his goblet. “No ulterior motives? No traps I should be wary of?”Penelope’s heart pounded as she carefully set her fork down. “I swear it,” she said, her voice steady though her palms were clammy. “She’s only doing as she was told, ensuring Persephone’s… my… return goes smoothly. Nothing more.”Thanion didn’t respond