Eleanor and Adrian knew that their love was forbidden. Their families, their people—everyone would see their union as treason. Yet, they couldn't deny what had blossomed between them.
He would sneak into the city under the guise of a merchant, risking his life just to see her. She would slip away from the grand halls of her estate to meet him in secret. Their love was their escape, a stolen dream in a world that had already decided their fates.
One night, as the city celebrated a grand festival, Adrian took Eleanor's hand and led her through the lantern-lit streets. For the first time, they allowed themselves to pretend—pretend that they were just two lovers, free from war, free from duty.
But the world was not so kind