In the island kingdom of Leskhen, peace is an illusion carefully maintained by those in power. Its people live content and unquestioning, surrounded by forests that whisper, mirrors that shatter on their own, and a queen everyone claims is too ill to be seen.

Rory Gilbert is an idealist—a soldier who joins Chesspatt, Leskhen’s elite military guard, swearing to protect his family and the nation that gave them refuge. But duty soon collides with truth when his tutoress begins to uncover traces of corruption and lies buried beneath the kingdom’s perfect façade.

Abigail Burgstaller, the crown prince’s brilliant and calculating fiancée, knows more than she should. Her beauty and intellect make her untouchable, yet she is trapped in a dangerous game of secrets and survival. She suspects what others deny—that the royal family  is rotting from within.

When fate ties Rory and Abigail together, loyalty and morality blur. Every revelation comes at a cost, and in this kingdom built like a chessboard, every move demands a sacrifice. Because in Leskhen, the queen doesn’t always protect the king—

and when the first pawn falls, the game truly begins.

Chapter 2 - First Part: Mornings