Days had passed since the secret burial, yet the wound remained bleeding.
Ashen stood alone in the shadowed royal crypt beneath the palace, the heavy stone door sealed behind him.
Only a few trusted aides knew the truth, that the Crown Prince Alex had been laid to rest in a private ceremony at dawn, with no grand procession, no public mourning, and no chance for enemies to gloat. The realm could not know its Crown Prince was dead.
Ashen's broad shoulders trembled as he stared at the fresh marble tomb. His fingers traced the engraved name, and the pain hit him like a fresh blade to the heart. Tears hot, angry, and unbidden slid down his cheeks. He did not wipe them away.
"Brother…" His voice cracked in the suffocating silence. Memories flooded him mercilessly, the two of them training in the courtyards as boys,
