..........Evaki ..........I look out the window at the picturesque scenery as we travel down the winding roads of the countryside. We've been driving for almost an hour, and we've now left the city completely behind. I slide down my window, the fresh air invigorating as I marvel at the rolling hills dotted with wildflowers and streams. This reminds me of my village. I enjoy city life, but if I had to choose between city and country living, I would choose the latter. Paris looks at me and smiles, and I return the smile with an even bigger one. "We’re almost there," he says, raising my hand to his lips and leaving a kiss atop it. We drive in comfortable silence for a while before we finally arrive at our destination, and I gape in awe at the opulent mansion in front of us, surrounded by lush greenery and a stable close by."Where are we?" I whisper, my eyes wandering to the stylish patio as we pull into the large driveway, and he says we are home, confusing me. He comes around to my

...............Stefania ...............I hesitate for a second after entering the palace, unsure if I should see Pari’s parents first or my soon-to-be husband and his beloved wife. But it would look better if I started with Eva and Paris, so I proceed inside and toward their room's direction. I instruct the guards to make my people feel at home and only take one guard with me, the one carrying the gifts. I don't need protection from this point on. I’m safe here."My king!" I exclaim, seeing Paris coming down the staircase just as I turn the corner, looking like he's coming from the direction of his father’s office. He stops and turns to me, saying there's no need for such formalities when no one is around, as I curtsy. His face stretches into a smile as he says that, but I can immediately tell that something is wrong. He asks how I'm doing, adding that it's good to see me, and I tell him I’m fine before asking him. He says he's good, and I compliment him, telling him he looks goo

.........Evaki.........I nervously sit in the car, watching the passing countryside as my driver makes his way toward the kingdom. Stefania wanted to send her royal guard to meet me at the airport, but I told her not to. We want this visit to remain between the two of us; it’s the reason she didn’t even want me to tell Tory, from whom I never keep anything. So, I felt a royal guard would work against that. Instead of a royal escort, I took a page from her book and only brought Malachy, my trusted guard. I sigh, looking at my wedding band, and my heart sinks very low, thinking of how I lied to my husband. I left him in the throne room after I was done with the things I had to do. After speaking to Stefania last night, she wanted to postpone her meeting with the fortune teller, thinking I wouldn’t be able to make it today, but I told her I would. Before she mentioned the fortune teller, I had accepted that there was nothing I could do except pray, but after she mentioned it, my brai

.........Paris........."Welcome, my love," I say, trying to sound calm as I take her coat before pulling her into a quick kiss and then leading her to the table. I had all her favorite dishes made and spared no expense in creating the perfect atmosphere for this moment. But as we sit down to eat, my nerves get the best of me. I fidget with my fork and take a deep breath, trying to summon the courage to speak when the time comes. I want her to enjoy the meal first. She compliments the food, but stops mid-sentence and asks if I’m okay, making me realize I’m showing. I quickly try to fix my face as best as I can and tell her I am. I can see she’s not buying it, but she doesn’t say anything. She reaches across the table and holds my hand for a bit. Ever since having the discussion with my father, I haven’t been okay, and I know, as much as I’ve tried to hide it, that she knows something is wrong. I hated doing that to her, but I didn’t know how I would begin telling her what I’m about

........Tory ........"Babe, you didn’t eat?" Anton asks, opening my still-covered dish, and I open my mouth to respond to him, but someone barges inside the door, stopping me. I get to my feet, seeing it's Paris, wondering what could have happened, noticing the panic in his eyes."She’s gone. She left me. Eva’s gone," he says, shocking us just as Anton asks what’s wrong, both of us now rushing to him. He hands me a letter, saying it's what she left, and the palace guards said they didn’t see her when he asked them. He says he’s got people looking, and some of them are heading over to our place, but I don’t think she would go there. She knows that’s the first place he would look and would only go there if she wanted him to find her, which I doubt since I know Eva is not the kind of person who does things for attention. Paris asks me if I know where she would go, and I tell him back to Eldrida; it’s the only place I can think of since Eva doesn’t have any family. I tell him I will