Three days passed in a strange rhythm of mundane work and simmering tension. Arianna fell into the routine of the lower kitchens—rising before dawn, spending hours peeling, chopping, scrubbing, her hands growing calloused and strong. The physical labor helped quiet her restless mind, though it could never fully silence it.

Each night, she returned to her small room exhausted, the King's decree carefully hidden beneath her thin mattress. And each night, she tried desperately to reach Lily, calling out to her wolf with increasing desperation.

There was never any answer.

Maya had become her quiet ally, sharing meals and offering guidance on navigating the complex social hierarchy of the citadel...