The royal hunt had begun, and Lena was flanked on both sides by three earls, shielding her at the center.
Flora trailed behind them at a distance, her eyes red, as if she had just been crying.
Lucian lowered his voice. “Did anyone else notice the king looked… off just now? Almost like Linden had to be here.”
Alexander nodded. “Yeah, everyone knows the princess would never choose Linden. So what if he’s not here? As long as
Ethan’s around, that’s all that matters.”
Lena remained silent. She didn’t tell them that the man she intended to choose as her future husband–was precisely
Linden.
Ethan’s expression turned cold. “Enough.”
Lucian and Alexander exchanged a glance, then looked at Flora, who was following behind, eyes brimming with tears.
“Ethan, we were all selected to serve the princess,” Alexander said with a chuckle. “Can’t blame you for being the best. If
she’s fallen for you, what can we do?”
“Just forget Miss Vivian already.”
Ethan tightened his grip on the reins, his voice like ice. “I can’t.”
Lena’s heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, a sharp whistling cut through the air.
“Assassins! Protect the king!”
Dozens of black–clad figures burst out from the forest, arrows raining down like a storm.
“Protect the Princess!”
Lucian and Alexander immediately drew their swords and rushed forward to meet the attackers. Ethan positioned himself
in front of Lena, shielding her.
But then, Flora screamed, “Ethan!”
Without hesitation, Ethan turned his horse and charged toward her.
“Ethan!” Lena shouted after him.
He didn’t look back.
An arrow tore through the air, heading straight for Lena. There was no one left by her side–she was about to be struck-
Clang!
A sword sliced through the air and shattered the incoming arrow.
Lena looked up, her breath caught-
Linden?!
She had no idea when he had returned. Dressed in a crimson hunting coat, a roguish smile played on his lips. “Hold on tight.”
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Dazed, Lena wrapped her arms around his waist. She watched, wide–eyed, as he wielded his sword with unmatched skill,
cutting down enemies like a whirlwind.
The assassins kept coming, driving them toward the edge of a cliff.
Linden glanced back at her. “Do you trust me?”
Lena gritted her teeth. “I do.”
His grin deepened. “Good.”
Without another word, Linden wrapped one arm tightly around her waist and leapt off the cliff.
When Lena opened her eyes, she found herself lying in her bed at the princess’s castle.
“Where’s Linden?” She sat up abruptly, only to gasp in pain as the movement tugged at her wounds.
Alice rushed to support her. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. Earl Gale is safe–just a few minor injuries. He’s back at the
castle recovering.”
She handed Lena a cup of hot tea and couldn’t help but marvel, “Who would’ve thought? He always acts so carefree, but in
the moment of crisis, he was incredibly dependable. He held you the entire time during the fall. And he knew there was a
at the bottom–said you wouldn’t die from the drop.”
ok the cup, her emotions in turmoil.
then, Alice brought over a large chest. “This arrived from Earl Gale. He said he picked up a few things while passing through Slivershade and thought you might want to take a look when you woke up.”
Inside, the chest was filled with beautiful trinkets-
A lace fan from Venice, rose–scented powder from Glass, and even a box of maple almond confections wrapped in gilded
parchment.
All things Lena loved.
Her fingers trembled as memories surged back from her previous life.
Linden used to bring her gifts every time he traveled. He’d always say it was something he picked up on a whim, nothing
worth fussing over.
But looking at these items now–wasn’t every single one of them tailored to her exact taste?
Even after he was stationed at the border, he still found ways to send her things. Sometimes a bird feather, sometimes a
handful of sand. And each time, there was a note attached:
“You’ve spent too long in Asteria. Let me show you the rest of the world.”
“Your Highness,” Alice suddenly remembered, “Earl Sterling has been waiting outside, asking to see you. You were
unconscious, so I turned him away. Now that you’re awake, should I let him in?”
“What’s he doing here?”
Alice hesitated, her expression troubled. “Miss Vivian fell from her horse. Her injuries are severe… The physicians say she
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may not survive the night. Earl Sterling came to beg for the mandrake flower to save her.”
The mandrake flower.
A life–saving gift bestowed upon Lena by her father–said to heal fatal wounds and restore flesh to bone. There was only
one in the entire kingdom.
