Meredith’s POV“What are you doing in my room?” I demand, and she raises a brow.“I am the one asking the questions here, Missy,” she pauses to take in my appearance. A scowl graces her lips when she says, “You look terrible.”I look at myself, and for the first time since I have known her, I actually agree with her. My dress is torn, ripped, and stained with all manner of things. I cannot even begin to imagine what my hair and face look like at this moment. A tired sigh leaves my lips, and I shut my eyes, trying to control my frustration. My legs are killing me! Hell, I feel like they are about to give in any moment from now on. Never in my life have I craved a bed as much as I do now.The ache in my legs and the fatigue make it almost impossible to think of an appropriate lie.“I am not in the mood for this, Gwen. I really need to sleep,” I say, almost plead.She purses her lips and shrugs. Throwing her legs off my bed, she walks around me and says, “That is fine, but let me tell

Meredith’s POVPanic courses through my veins as I search the hallway. Thankfully, there is no one present to witness this play, but for how long?I shoot to my feet and slam my fist against Roman’s door. On a normal day, I would not dare do such a thing, but for God’s sake, I am butt naked out here.“Please hand me my clothes at least; I can’t walk around the palace like this! Please!” I scream as I pound against his door. He doesn’t open it; he doesn’t even say anything. My heart aches with hurt. I can’t believe he can be so cruel to leave me out here like this.My heart plummets to the pit of my stomach when my ears pick up on the sound of approaching footsteps. Someone is coming. Shit!“Roman please!” I plead, pounding harder on his door. “He’s not going to open the door for you.”My body grows still, and I swallow the bile that has risen within my throat. Slowly, I turn to find a man in a black suit standing right behind me. He appears to be a few years older than me, but not n

Meredith’s POV “I am sorry you had to see all of that,” I say, picking up my robe from the floor. My eyes meet his, and I am surprised to find light in them with a smile on his face.“Oh no, not at all. I am quite used to it, actually,” he says, and my cheeks flush once again. I keep my gaze down and cannot help but wonder how long he has worked here for him to be used to such sights. Just when I am about to excuse myself, he says something that surprises me. “What is your name?”“Meredith,” I reply, and a corner of his lips lifts, showcasing a dimple.“Meredith,” he repeats, my name rolling off his tongue like honey. “I believe it means magnificent, a great ruler.” The smile that lifts my lips is so wide, I almost thought the corners were touching my ears. “Yes, yes, it does.” I trail off. My father told me that it was my mother who gave me that name when I was born. I would be the greatest ruler of our kingdom.Now look at what it has become.“Your parents made an excellent choi

Meredith’s POVI always imagined myself dying at an old age in my sleep. I never would have imagined that itwould be in the hands of a lunatic at such a young age. The wheels in my head spin faster than they ever have before, as I think of a lie. “I had to go say goodbye to someone. An old friend of mine that worked in the same mansion as I did under my master,” I lie, and Saul tilts his head to the side.“I admire you; you know that?” he says, and his words confuse me. until he says, “You witnessed me torture a man to death, yet you still have the guts to lie to my face.”I shrink back, pressing myself further into the wall, even though I know it is no use. “I am not lying.”“You are,” he says simply, taking a step back. “How did you even get out? I am curious.” There is true intrigue and curiosity in his eyes as he awaits my response. “I climbed up that oak tree and jumped to the other side,” I admit, and he shakes his head, amusement trickling in his eyes.“You mean the one I ca

Roman’s POVTEN MINUTES EARLIER“You are a damn fool.” I said to Saul, shaking my head in annoyance and pushing myself off my chair. Pacing the board room, I drag my hands down my face in frustration.“You actually believed that crap? How dumb can you be, Saul?” Caelen asks him, and Saul rolls his eyes.“Of course I did not believe her. but I saw it in her eyes; she wouldn’t have talked if I had tortured it out of her. She is strong, and I believe what she is hiding is something far greater than what we are thinking,” he says, and his words only piss me off more.Baring my teeth and clenching my fists, I say, “Then why the hell did you let her go? You let a possible threat roam the palace. We don’t even know what she is looking for; what if she finds it and screws us over because of it? Goddamn it, do you even think about it? To think you would have learned your lesson after what happened last time.”Saul clenches his fists, and I see that fire light up in his eyes. I seem to have tou