Selene's POV
Weeks had passed, though time in my room felt like years. The heavy curtains blocked the sunlight, but the walls pressed in with a stifling weight. My room, once a sanctuary had become a prison of my own making. I refused to leave. I refused to meet the seamstress for measurements for the Obsidian Prince's arrival. I refused to prepare for a marriage I could never accept.
My maids had come every day, timidly knocking, leaving whispers at the door about measurements, gowns, and etiquette. I ignored them.
And yet, through their frightened chatter, I heard rumors. Foolish, wild rumors that clawed at my ears and made me grit my teeth. Rumors that I eloped with the Vampire King…
I laughed bitterly, pressing my hands to my face. The very thought was absurd. Me? A traitor to my own blood, consorting with the enemy? The whispers haunted me anyway.
