*****
Chapter 57.
~Katrina~
Karl stirred beside me. Finding himself where he was, he let out a soft moan and pressed his lips to my breast, kissing it tenderly. His hand moved slowly over my hips, holding me like I was something precious. Then he kissed me all over, leaving warmth wherever his lips touched.
After a while, he shifted to the other side of the bed and pulled me into his arms, placing my head on his chest. His heartbeat was calm and steady. That was the last thing I heard before he fell asleep.
I stayed awake, staring at the mask he still wore. A part of me wanted to take it off, to see the face he kept hidden from everyone. But then, a small voice in my head whispered—What if he's not ready? What if you break the trust you're just starting to build?
So, I left it. I would wait until he showed me himself—completely—when he felt safe enough to do so.
Eventually, I drifted off too. And I dreamed of a life with Karl. A quiet life, away from the palace and all its shadows. Just him and me, in peace. We were laughing, happy. I didn't want to wake up from it.
But the dream didn't last.
Someone touched me gently, and my eyes flew open. It was Karl. He was already dressed, looking like he hadn't even slept.
"We have to go back. It's almost dawn," he said softly.
I didn't want to move. My body felt heavy, and my heart even heavier. I pulled the blanket up to my chin like a child who didn't want to leave her safe place.
"I don't want to go back," I whispered.
"You're joking, right?" he asked, smiling a little. Then he pulled the blanket down to my waist and leaned in to kiss me softly again. "We have to go. The games start early today. We need to be there. And… mother doesn't know we came out here. She wouldn't be happy if she found out."
I sighed and sat up slowly. He handed me my clothes, already dried.
Then he asked, "Should I help you dress?"
I blinked in surprise. I hadn't expected that. I nodded, and he did it gently, like I was made of something fragile.
It felt strange, but sweet. This side of him—soft, caring—it was new. But I was already beginning to love it.
Now, we were ready to return. Marianne was waiting outside, calm and still. The king locked the cottage door behind us.
"Wear this," he said, handing me a red coat. He was already dressed in a black one. I nodded and put it on. His eyes lingered on me for a second, then he helped me onto Marianne and climbed up behind me.
We rode fast—faster than when we came. The forest was still quiet, but the world outside it had started to stir. The sky was turning light. Morning was near, and soon, the village would wake up.
As we passed through the village, a few early risers saw us. They recognized Marianne, the palace horse—but they didn't recognize the man beside me. They had no idea it was the king himself.
We reached the palace, and Marianne slowed her steps as we neared the quarters. Lord Rowland was waiting. Strangely, he stood in the exact same spot where we left him. Had he been there all night?
We got off the horse, and Lord Rowland greeted us. "Good morning, Your Highness. Princess Katrina."
"Rowland, did anything happen?" the king asked, pulling off his coat. Without it, he looked more like himself—less like Azriel, the angel of death, and more like the man who held me all night.
"No, Your Highness. Everything is in order," Rowland replied, taking the coat from him.
"Thank you," Karl said, then gently wrapped his arm around my waist. He walked me to the entrance of the quarters and pulled me into a warm hug. "I'll see you later today. Is that alright with you?"
I nodded. My heart was already missing him.
He kissed my forehead. "Take care of yourself," he added, then kissed my cheek and let go. His touch lingered on my skin even after he walked away.
I stepped inside the quarters with a soft smile on my face—but it quickly vanished.
Standing before me were Queen Fortuna, Rania, and Rosa. Behind them stood Marissa, her face covered with horror.
The peace I felt moments ago faded.
Trouble had arrived.
**
~Fortuna~
An hour ago...
I stepped out of the quarters, hoping to find the king. Instead, I ran into Lord Rowland and Prince Elvin. Did these two ever sleep? They always seemed to be awake, sitting in front of the main building like guards who never rest.
"Lord Rowland. Prince Elvin," I greeted.
"The most beautiful queen of Xylonia," Prince Elvin said as he stood and bowed. I blinked. That was strange. He never called me that before.
"Karl's Queen," Lord Rowland added with a polite nod. "Greetings."
I rolled my eyes. "What's wrong with you two tonight? Are you drunk?"
Prince Elvin might be—but not Rowland. The king wasn't in the palace, so I was sure he left Rowland in charge. And Rowland was too responsible to get drunk when duty called.
"I'm not," Lord Rowland said calmly. "But I can't say the same for the prince."
I ignored Elvin and focused on what mattered. "Do you know when the king will be back?"
"Soon. He should be on his way," Rowland replied, glancing toward the road that led to the palace gates.
"Do you know why he went to the village?" I asked, hugging myself as the cold air brushed against my skin.
Without a word, Rowland removed his coat and placed it on my shoulders. He had always been a gentleman, even if he didn't like me much. We grew up together, but things changed.
I had taken his best friend—Karl. And worse, I had taken Arabella from him. I knew that pain had never left him.
"It's private," he finally said.
I sighed. He wasn't going to tell me. He was hiding something.
"Are you serious, Rowland? I'm his wife for crying out. His queen and partner," I reminded, my voice low even though I was burning inside. "My husband left the palace, and you think it's not wise to tell me where or why?"
I tried to stay calm, but my heart was racing. This was Rowland—I had to be careful.
He looked at me, eyes steady. "Please don't start. Go ahead, remind everyone else of who you are—Karl's wife, the queen. But not me. I'm the last person you should try that with."
His words cut deep.
"Say that to people who don't know what you really are. Don't say it to someone who knows the truth about you and the king."
My heart skipped a beat.
What truth was he talking about?
Prince Elvin laughed loudly. His laughter echoed through the quiet night, and for a moment, it felt like both he and Rowland were enjoying my confusion.
I swallowed hard and walked away. They were both crazy—maybe everyone in this palace was. But I refused to let them mess with my head.
I went straight to Rosalind's room and told her everything. She wasn't in the mood to get involved, especially if it meant dealing with her brother, but I begged her.
"If anyone knows where the king went, it's either Rowland or Rania," Rosalind said as we stepped out of her room.
"Rowland insulted me instead. He wouldn't say a word," I told her, my voice bitter.
"That's strange. He's not like that," she said, defending him. Of course, he wasn't—just not when it came to me. "We'll ask Rania. She might be grumpy about being woken up, but she loves her brother. Maybe she'll talk."
I nodded. I had already asked Rania earlier, but she hadn't told me anything. Maybe she'd open up to Rosalind, her twin.
When we got there, we were surprised to find Rania still awake. But even she didn't know where the king went.
"Why don't we check on Katrina?" Rosalind suddenly smiled like she had the best idea. I stared at her. Was she serious?
"No," Rania said quickly. "It's probably something official. The king wouldn't share it with a concubine."
But Rosalind was already dragging me along, and we soon arrived at Katrina's quarters. I knocked. No answer. I knocked again. Still nothing. Only after the third knock did Marissa open the door, looking too calm for someone who had kept us waiting so long.
I asked for Katrina, but she didn't say anything. Just stood there like a wall.
Something wasn't right.
A few seconds later, Rania came down the hallway. She told us to let it go and return to our rooms. But I couldn't—not when something clearly strange was going on.
Where was Katrina?
Why wouldn't her maid say anything?
Just as we were going downstairs, someone appeared. A figure in a long black coat, moving like a shadow. My heart skipped.
The figure stepped into the light—and my breath caught in my throat.
It was Katrina.
And she looked like the angel of death.