Chapter 180

• Upon returning to the palace, I was torn away from Hadrian. The King lay unconscious, and the fate of the kingdom needed to be decided without delay. I was ushered into the study, where I found Lucian, a group of lawyers, and Gareth waiting for me. I had no idea why I was there, nor did I care. All I wanted was to be by Hadrian’s side, waiting for him to wake up. But Gareth’s grip on my hand was firm, his silent plea unwavering. He insisted there was a protocol—one that, as the queen-to-be, I was obligated to follow.
• Reluctantly, I gave in.
• One of the lawyers stepped forward, holding a sealed envelope. He presented it to the room, ensuring we all saw the unbroken seal before carefully opening it. The moment he revealed its contents, my stomach twisted. It was an emergency protocol—meant to be enacted only in the event that something happened to the King. The weight of the realization hit me like a blow, making my head spin. My chest tightened, and I stumbled back, struggling for breath. This wasn’t happening. Hadrian wasn’t dead. I refused to act as though he were.