The Market Chaos. Back in Elden Valley, Seraphina, Thalia, Finn, and Myrtle spilled into the square, gasping for air.
"You nearly got me arrested," Finn hissed.
"You and your goat nearly got me killed!" Seraphina shot back.
Myrtle bleated, completely unapologetic, with a stolen carrot hanging from her mouth.
Thalia doubled over laughing. "Oh gods, I can't take you two."
Seraphina glared. Finn tried not to smile. Beneath all the chaos, something electric sparked between them—dangerous, real, and impossible to ignore.
Rowan appeared with a loaf of bread tucked under his arm. "What did I miss?"
"Nothing," Seraphina and Finn said at the same time.
Thalia and Rowan smirked. Myrtle munched the bread. And in the shadows of the market, a man was still watching—silent, patient, waiting.
Seraphina turned to Finn, voice soft but steady. "My parents are hosting a party soon—for my engagement. To that cold-blooded prince."
Finn stiffened. "Right."
She stepped closer, eyes searching his. "I want you to come. Please. You make me feel… at peace. Just—think about it."
Then she was gone, swallowed by the mist and the noise of the square, leaving Finn standing there with a heart that suddenly felt too heavy to carry.
<<<<<
Back at the Palace. Seraphina and Thalia crept into the castle under the cover of fog, faces flushed from kissing and adrenaline, from laughter—and from something far more dangerous. Thalia was waiting in the corridor, holding a tray of stolen desserts.
"Well?" she asked, shoving a tart in her mouth.
Seraphina melted against the wall with a dreamy sigh. "He kissed me."
"What! Oh my goodness! Was it good?"
"I forgot how to breathe."
"Ah, yes. That's the good kind."
They giggled—until a door creaked.
Queen Elanora stepped into the hallway, eyes sharp.
"Seraphina," she said coldly. "Your presence is requested. Now."
Seraphina straightened, forcing calm over her racing heart. "Of course, Mother."
She followed the Queen into the parlor, trying not to think about Finn Callan—the baker who had stolen her breath, who made her heart race, and the secret she now had to keep. Because falling in love with a poor baker wasn't just scandalous. It was dangerous. And someone, somewhere, was about to find out.
Because love between a princess and a boy who hated crowns wasn't just forbidden
It was rebellion. And so, love began—not quiet, not safe, but dangerous. Twisted. Irresistible. The kind of love that could topple kingdoms.
The Queen's footsteps echoed through the palace corridor like the toll of a warning bell. Princess Seraphina followed in silence, the taste of Finn's kiss still lingering on her lips, guilt blooming like a bruise in her chest.
She wasn't scared of many things. But her mother, Queen Elanora of Elvaria, topped the list—she feared her more than all three combined. They entered the Queen's private drawing room—lavish, cold, and scented with lavender, steel, and judgment.
"Sit," the Queen commanded.
Seraphina sat.
Elanora turned, her silver crown catching the light. "You've been sneaking out."
No preamble. Just war.
Seraphina lifted her chin. "I'm not a prisoner."
"You are a princess."
"Which," Seraphina said quietly, "is just a prettier word for prisoner."
The Queen's eyes narrowed. "You are betrothed to Prince Kaelen of Viremont. In two weeks, you will marry him and secure our alliance, become his wife, and their future queen. That is your duty and your destiny."
Seraphina clenched her fists. "What about what I want?"
"Want is for peasants," the Queen replied coldly. "Legacy is for royals."
Something inside Seraphina cracked. The words hit like arrows as the Queen stepped closer, her presence sharp.
"I will say this only once," Queen Elanora said, her voice cold and final. "You think this is about you—but if you refuse this marriage, Elvaria will lose its alliance with Viremont. The valley will lose its trade rights. Farmers will starve. Markets will collapse. Trade will crumble. Your rebellion will ruin lives. You'll destroy everything—for a boy who bakes bread. Is that what you want, Seraphina? Chaos for a kiss?"
"No, Mother." Seraphina clenched her hands.
"Stop seeing him," her mother said coldly. "Or you will destroy us all."
Then, after a beat: "Your engagement ball will be tomorrow. Smile. Endure. Make it count. I love you, my darling."
Seraphina's throat burned. "Yes, Mother. I love you too. May I be excused?"
"You may."
She left the room, her steps slow, her breath shaking. Behind her, the Queen's teacup clinked softly—a sound far colder than silence.
<<<<<<
At the Bakery. Finn Callan was elbow-deep in dough when the shop bell chimed. He expected Seraphina. Instead, Prince Kaelen of Viremont walked in.
The bakery went dead quiet. Even the fire seemed to hold its breath.
Kaelen's dark cloak swept the flour-dusted floor as he approached the counter. "You're Finn Callan," he said, his voice sharp. "Baker. Farmer. Owner of a very troublesome goat."
Finn straightened. "You forgot 'excellent kisser."
The prince didn't smile. "Do you know who I am?"
"And who are you? Oh, of course I know who you are. You're the man who makes my girl frown."
Kaelen's jaw tightened. "She's not your girl."
"I kissed her."
"And I'll marry her."
"She laughs with me."
"And she'll obey me."
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Finn stepped closer, fearless. "You can try to own her. But she's not made to be owned. She's wildfire. You either burn with her or you burn out."
Kaelen's lips curled. "Do you think this is a fairy tale, baker?"
"No," Finn said softly. "But I think you're the villain in one."
The Prince leaned in, voice low. "Stay away from her. Or I'll bury you so deep in the valley your goats will never find you."
He turned on his heel and left, leaving only silence and his boots leaving dust in their wake. Finn stood frozen, fists trembling, chest tight. He knew how the crown played its games.
He'd seen it before—when his father, a loyal soldier, was executed for "treason" to cover a prince's mistake on the battlefield. When his mother begged for mercy and was cast out, left to die hungry and alone in the ruins of their village.
He'd sworn he would never bow again. Never trust a crown. Never love anyone tied to it. And now, because of one kiss, he was back in their crosshairs. So it had begun.
<<<<<<
That night, in her chamber, Seraphina sat by the window, staring out into the fog.
The ring she was meant to wear glimmered on the table beside her — a promise she didn't want. She pressed a hand to her chest, where her heart still raced for Finn.
Tears fell quietly, darkening the silk of her gown.
Somewhere in the valley, Finn was awake too — fists clenched, remembering how the crown had stolen everything from him once.
And now, it was coming for the only thing he had ever wanted.
Her. Outside, thunder rolled softly over Elvaria. Inside, a princess broke — quietly, beautifully, like glass beneath moonlight. And love, wild, forbidden, unstoppable — had already begun to burn through the cracks.