Almira returned to the palace with only thing in mind. Stay away from Dante.

She had come too far to jeopardize everything she shared with Jephthah. It might be an overreaction avoiding him, but she had to be extra careful. It was scary how effortlessly he made her break a promise she had kept for years.

A guard met her halfway. Almira raised a brow when he blocked her path.

‘The King summons you, your highness,” he informed her. Almira felt unsettled. She had no business with the king. In fact, their only interaction had been during dinner, where they had definitely concluded she was mannerless in their heads.

“Why?...