No matter how much I tried I couldn't just understand why he was absent.
The table had settled into a low murmur of voices and clinking goblets, but I felt none of it. I sat like a statue, my bones aching from holding a perfect posture, my thoughts flickering between Selene's words, Caspian's empty seat, and the cold way the King's eyes had passed over me like I was some furniture he hadn't ordered.
No one had spoken of Caspian directly. Not since Selene's snarky comment and not since the King made his passing remark.
But his absence was the only thing that filled my head.
It felt like a wound left open on a royal table.
I kept my face composed, lips barely moving when I spoke, my hands resting gently on my lap, the way Alina had taught me. I didn't smile. I didn't frown. I simply endured.
Until the doors opened again.
The sound echoed across the chamber, screeching on the polished marble floor. Every head at the table turned. My heart leapt stupidly before I could stop it.
But what was I thinking? Of course, it wasn't Caspian.
A tall, broad-shouldered man entered, dressed in a dark military uniform lined with silver. His presence was commanding, sharp, and unfamiliar. His stern eyes scanned the room until they landed on the King.
He walked forward, bowed low, then lifted his head. "Commander Thorne, Your Majesty," he said. "On behalf of Prince Caspian."
The room went still.
Even Selene's fan stilled in her hand.
King Malric leaned slightly forward. "Speak."
The man straightened. "Prince Caspian will not be attending court for the next several days. He has taken leave to the Northern Wing. By his own orders."
Whispers broke out instantly. Across the table, I saw Marcus raise a brow and share a low chuckle with one of the court nobles. Daron said nothing, but I could see his jaw tighten.
I, however, kept my eyes fixed on my goblet.
So... he had left the palace.
He left without a word. Without facing me. Without facing anything.
The ache in my chest returned, I shouldn't let this get to me but it was. And only the gods knew how lost I felt.
The King's voice rang through the hall, silencing the whispers. "Did the Prince offer a reason for his absence?"
"Private reasons, Your Majesty," the commander said. "But he asked that his bride be treated with due honour in his stead."
That made my throat tighten.
Not kindness. Not warmth. Just... honour.
I almost laughed.
King Malric hummed, looking unamused. "Very well. Thank you, Commander Thorne. You may leave."
The man bowed again and left as swiftly as he came.
Not long after he left, the murmurs returned.
Selene's gaze landed on me again, her mouth curling like she just tasted something sweet. "Gone so soon," she murmured, barely loud enough for anyone else to hear. "Perhaps your charm wore thin."
Whatever trap she was setting I refused to fall for it.
I forced a small piece of bread down my throat, ignoring the taste, ignoring the heat rising behind my eyes. The room suddenly felt like a tight cage, but I refused to shrink.
Marcus lifted his goblet, his voice cutting through the tension. "Well, in the prince's absence, perhaps we can get to know our new princess better."
A few amused chuckles followed, mostly from those seated closest to him.
"Tell us, Princess Lyra," he continued, with a wide smile that held no warmth, "what does a human bride offer the House of Drayveil? Magic? Secrets? A powerful father, perhaps?"
I glanced at Alina. She gave me a tiny nod. Subtle and encouraging.
I turned back to Marcus. "None of those things, I'm afraid," I said calmly. "Just myself."
"And what exactly is that worth?" Daron asked, speaking for the first time.
His voice was calm but cold, like stone. He stared at me without blinking, like he was trying to see straight through me.
I didn't look away.
"You'll have to wait and find out," I replied.
Silence hung in the air for a second. Then...
Marcus laughed. "Sharp tongue. I like her."
"She'll need more than that to survive," Selene added.
The King lifted a hand and the table quieted.
He stared at me for a long moment, as if judging something I couldn't see.
"You are not the first outsider to enter this court, Lyra Velinor. Neither are you the first consort to my son," he said. "There are rules you will follow."
My pulse quickened but I masked it. I simply nodded, saying nothing.
"You will remain within the bounds of the palace until the Prince returns. You will attend all court events, sit beside him when he is present, and speak only when addressed."
He paused. "You will not interfere in matters of state, unless directly summoned."
"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied softly.
He narrowed his eyes slightly. "And if your presence causes disruption, be it political or otherwise. I will not hesitate to send you back to your broken kingdom."
His words sank into me like needles.
Broken kingdom.
I clenched my jaw. "Understood."
"Good." He looked away, waving a hand as if he was done with me. "Enjoy your meal."
Except there was nothing left for me to enjoy.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. Around me, the court resumed their chatter, their eyes flickering to me and away like I was some fragile, bleeding thing too pitiful to even be seen as a threat.
Alina leaned closer. "You did well," she murmured.
But I didn't feel it.
Caspian had vanished. The king had set his terms. And the wolves around me were already licking their teeth.
I lifted my goblet and drank slowly, but the wine tasted like ash on my tongue.
But then reality dawned on me. I realised something colder than the stone walls around me.
I was alone.
And every soul at this table knew it.