The court was alive with rumors. Some said the Dragon Prince had taken interest in a maid. Others whispered Rosa's humiliation was the beginning of her downfall.
King Arven ignored the gossip, focusing instead on binding Vanda closer. He invited the Prince to council, to feasts, to private discussions — but Vanda's mind wandered more often than it should.
Meanwhile, Rosa began her plot. A whisper to a guard here. A bribe to a servant there. Soon, an opportunity would come — one that would rid her of Daya forever.
And Daya? She kept her head low, praying to remain invisible. But no matter how hard she tried, her life was already entangled with forces far beyond her control.
One night, as she carried water through a quiet corridor, she froze. The Dragon Prince himself stood there, his gaze fixed on her.
"Daya," he said, speaking her name for the first time.
Her breath caught. "Y-Your Highness…"
Vanda stepped closer, his eyes unreadable, his voice low.
"Tell me," he said, "are you afraid