Luciana Sandoval, the eldest daughter of Duke Sandoval, had been chosen as the fiancee of the lycanthrope king. She came from a pure-blooded lycan lineage, which made her the most suitable candidate among all the possible brides.

Luciana and the king, Kael, had grown up together, and when Kael took the throne, she stood by his side, offering her unwavering support. But during an attack orchestrated by Kael's uncle — who coveted the throne — Kael was wounded in the eyes, leaving him permanently blind. He felt useless, and the court had already begun calling for someone more capable to assume the crown.

Luciana, knowing that Kael's uncle would seize the throne if nothing changed, did everything she could to find a way to restore his sight. She found one, in the hands of an old witch. The woman told her of a spell, but in exchange for giving Kael back his eyes, someone else would have to lose theirs. Luciana didn't hesitate to sacrifice her own.

When the ritual was complete, Kael swore that Luciana would be his queen — that no one could take her place despite her disability. And for a time, everything seemed fine. But months before the wedding, one of Kael's childhood friends returned to the kingdom. She'd lost her parents, and he promised to protect her, claiming that an old injury had left her heart too weak to endure strong emotions or even transform.

Kael shielded her from everything. Whenever anyone so much as looked at her sideways, he rushed to her defense. Luciana was aware of it, but she trusted that Kael saw the girl only as a sister, and she had no objection to her staying at the palace. Until Kael started accusing Luciana of inciting others to bully his friend. Luciana swore none of it was true, but Kael refused to believe her.

"Even without your eyes, you're just as cruel. You of all people should know what it's like to be ill," he snapped at her while the girl — Eloisa — sobbed against his chest.

"And precisely because of my disability, I couldn't possibly do anything to Miss Eloisa. Why can't you believe me?" Luciana pleaded.

"Oh, Kael... perhaps I should leave the palace. That way I won't cause any more trouble between you two," Eloisa whimpered, feigning breathlessness.

"No. You're not leaving. Luciana is the one who needs to understand that her disability doesn't give her the right to hurt others," Kael said.

He walked out, taking Eloisa to the physician. Luciana stayed behind in her room, alone, crying.

The worst came on a stormy night. Kael burst into Luciana's room in a rage, accusing her of pushing Eloisa down the stairs and putting her life in danger. Though many of the servants knew Luciana couldn't possibly have done it, none dared speak against the king.

No matter how much Luciana swore her innocence, Kael dragged her out of the palace, beyond the kingdom walls, deep into the forest, and left her there in the pouring rain.

"I'll come for you once Eloisa wakes up. You'll beg her forgiveness on your knees," he pronounced.

Luciana fell into the mud when he shoved her.

"No, Kael... I didn't do it... I can't stay here... it's dangerous... Kael—"

She stretched her hands across the ground, searching for him, but he'd already turned and vanished into the darkness. Luciana pressed her palms into the mud, still groping forward with the desperate hope that he was still nearby. But her hand slipped over an edge, her weight carried her forward, and she tumbled down a cliff into the black void below.

At the bottom, her body lay broken — shattered bones, deep gashes, each breath slower than the last. She remained there until dawn, barely conscious, screaming for help through the agony. No one answered. Two days and two nights passed like that. Her wounds festered — ever since the ritual that had given Kael her eyes, her body could no longer heal itself the way it used to. And so, alone, her body destroyed, her life faded on the third night beneath a full moon.

Hours passed. Then Luciana moved.

She sat up with a violent jolt, pressing both hands to her skull as an avalanche of memories tore through her mind — the young woman's entire life playing out like a film reel. The redhead collapsed back to the ground, gasping, and held her hands in front of her face.

"You've got to be kidding me. Seriously? The body of some stupid blind girl... and she gave away her eyes for that unfaithful dog. Disgusting," she said, her voice colder and sharper than the one that had belonged to Luciana before.

Gone was the soft, gentle tone. This voice had an edge like a blade.

"Of all the women in the world... I reincarnated in this stupid girl." She pressed her lips together.

The worst part was being trapped in a body that couldn't see — nothing but absolute darkness. And the pain was everywhere.

Still on the ground, barely able to move with the broken bones, the wounds, the agony, she forced herself to concentrate. A red circle formed beneath her, mana flowing outward. At least she'd brought most of her power with her. The energy coursed through the body, knitting torn flesh, mending shattered bone — but the eyes wouldn't regenerate. Something was blocking it.

When the pentagram beneath her stopped glowing, she rose to her feet. She turned one palm upward and pressed a nail deep into the skin until blood welled up, then flipped her hand so the drops fell to the earth.

"Zih Maha Ujohk mun parekne herl, hula erlaken parenzhe fhot mah," she chanted.

Her blood pooled on the ground, spread outward, and darkened into a slick of shadow. From it, two forms emerged — dogs made of darkness, their eyes burning red.

"Go," she ordered.

The hounds moved forward and she followed. She could have marched back to the kingdom and slaughtered everyone in it. But no — she needed to recover her full power first, and find a way to reclaim her sight. Until then, the king and his beloved could live in peace.

"I don't forgive. I just wait for my prey to think they've won." She let out a low laugh, spinning once amid the dark trees.

Since she'd reincarnated in this body, the least she could do for the real Luciana's soul was to deliver the revenge those two traitors deserved.

"Onix, Nox — find me a way out."

But after walking for what felt like hours, her body began to give out. The real Luciana's body had been frail, its regeneration painfully slow, and the burst of magic she'd used to accelerate the healing had only drained it further. Just as she reached the edge of the forest, her legs buckled and she collapsed, unconscious.

Back at the palace, Kael's assistant entered the king's study looking troubled. Three days and three nights had passed, and Luciana was still outside the palace walls. It was starting to worry him. Even her two handmaidens had begun asking questions — they'd seen the king drag Luciana into the storm that night, and though they'd begged him to reconsider, he'd made it clear she wouldn't return until Eloisa woke up.

"The court is talking, Your Majesty. If word of this reaches Duke Sandoval, you'll lose half the court," Diego warned.

"Let them talk. The official story is that Lady Sandoval is at a rest house, being attended by competent physicians," Kael replied.

Diego's brow furrowed. He knew better than anyone what had actually happened, and he hated watching Kael punish the woman who'd sacrificed her sight for him — all because the king's mistress kept getting hurt.

Diego nodded and left the study. But instead of returning to his quarters, he went to a secluded corner of the palace grounds and handed over an envelope along with a pouch of coins.

"Deliver this personally into Duke Sandoval's hands at the northern base. When you return, the other half of the payment is yours," he ordered.

The hooded figure nodded, tucked the envelope away, and climbed into a carriage that disappeared into the night.

Her consciousness drifted back in fragments. Voices. Smells — nothing like the forest. Instead, a subtle blend of medicinal herbs, wood smoke, and the scent of whoever else was in the room.

Had someone from the king's court found her after she collapsed? She hoped not. She didn't have nearly enough power yet to take him on.

"Looks like you're finally awake," a woman's voice said.

The speaker was a young woman sitting near the bed, a cup in her hand.

"Where am I?" Luciana asked.

"In His Majesty Valentine's rest mansion," the woman replied.

"Valentine? Who's that?"

"The king. You're on the northern border of Rose — vampire territory, little pup."

Luciana sat up, rubbing her head.

"How did I end up so far from Holwin?"

"I brought you. Found you unconscious on the side of the road. My name is Eirene Shaw. I'm a witch in the service of the King of Rose," the woman said.

"Eirene... thank you. Without you, I don't know what would've happened. Not everyone has good intentions."

"How do you know I don't have bad intentions?"

"Because you carried me all this way, took care of me, and your voice — your presence — tells me you're honest," Luciana said.

"Good instincts. So how did you end up alone out there?"

"Long story. It'll probably bore you. Or make you call me an idiot when you hear it." She smiled faintly.

"I doubt I'll be bored. Your story must be quite interesting — especially since the body and the soul don't match."

Luciana's lips tightened. So the witch had already noticed.

"You've got good instincts too." She raised her hands, touching the bandage over her eyes. "This woman was a fool. She gave away her own eyes to save a man who didn't deserve it."

"She was already blind before she lost her eyes — because she couldn't see the kind of man standing beside her," Eirene replied.

"It doesn't matter now. That man can enjoy his life until I find a way to reclaim my eyes. I'll let him watch as the woman who loved him ceases to exist." A sly smile crossed her face.

The mere thought of seeing the despair on that king's face when she took back what was hers filled her with something close to joy. But for now, she had to get used to this body first.

"Eirene, I need a favor," she said.

At the frontier camp, Duke Sandoval had received Diego's letter, and he was furious — ready to march back to the palace and demand answers. He'd left Luciana in Kael's care, and the first thing that bastard did was punish her over some nobody.

The duke ordered his troops to prepare for the return. It no longer mattered if the frontier was left exposed — his daughter came first. But just as he was about to depart, someone arrived asking for him.

The visitor introduced himself as a servant from the northern mansion and said he'd come at his daughter's request. The duke was skeptical, but the servant leaned close and whispered that Luciana Sandoval had sent for him and that absolute discretion was essential. He described how Luciana had been abandoned in a forest by her fiance and that it was the Witch of the North, Eirene, who'd saved her.

At the mention of Eirene's name, the duke's doubts softened. He knew of the witch — a loyal subordinate of the vampire king. He agreed to go with the servant, accompanied by a minimal escort.

The journey took two days. When they arrived at the mansion, the servant asked that only the duke enter, for security. In the private sitting room, Eirene was waiting, and Luciana sat on a small sofa.

"My child." The duke forgot all formalities. He went straight to Luciana and knelt before her, clasping her hands. "Diego sent me a letter. He told me what that bastard did to you..."

His eyes glistened. He'd trusted Kael to keep her safe.

"Father, I'm all right. But I don't intend to return to Holwin — not now. I don't want the king to know I'm still alive," she told him.

"But darling... I can fight this in court. I'll do everything in my power to make that bastard pay for what he's done to you," the duke insisted.

"It's not the right time, Father. The court will only fracture, and the ambitious ones — the ones who see you as a threat — could seize the opportunity. They could make it look like you're staging a rebellion," the redhead explained.

The duke fell silent. Eirene gave a conspicuous fake cough.

"Your daughter is right, Your Grace. You don't even know what story has been told in Holwin about her disappearance," Eirene added.

"Miss Eirene is right, Father. We don't know what's been said. That woman could've taken the chance to spin a version that benefits her."

The duke went quiet and stood. His daughter had a point. Diego had only told him about the punishment. In the days since, any number of lies could have been invented to cover the truth.

At the palace, Kael slammed his fist against the desk. His guards had just informed him that Luciana still hadn't been found. Ever since Eloisa woke up, he'd sent men to search for Luciana, but they'd turned up nothing near the place where he'd left her.

After that, they'd expanded the search — farther and farther out — and still nothing. Now they'd combed through the entire forest without finding a single trace of her.

"Search the villages. Someone must have helped her," Kael ordered.

She had to be hiding somewhere, trying to make him feel guilty for leaving her there. But it wouldn't work. Luciana had hurt Eloisa, and she needed to understand that her actions had consequences.

"When Duke Sandoval finds out his daughter is missing, there'll be hell to pay."

"The court won't tolerate this behavior. The king knows it, which is why he's so furious."

"He pampers his mistress, who does nothing but spend money on jewels and dresses. It's disgraceful."

"That mistress is nothing but a harpy. Lady Sandoval disappeared because of her."

"The Queen Mother won't be pleased. That mistress doesn't stand a chance."

"If the king didn't favor her, I wouldn't give her the time of day."

"Disgusting, having to serve that whore. Who knows how many men she's been with" and the king thinks he's the only one.

"If I didn't need this job, I'd pour the hot tea right on her head. She's a prostitute with delusions of being queen."

The maids talked, and Eloisa — standing on the other side of the door — heard every word. Her fury reached its limit. She'd thought the servants treated her with respect because she was going to be queen. But no — it was only because they feared Kael would fire them.

In the palace's south wing, the Queen Mother had just returned from a trip, and the first thing she learned was that Luciana was missing. She went looking for Kael at once.

"Kael Evanston, do you have any idea what you've done?" she bellowed the moment she crossed the threshold.

"Mother, why are you barging in like this?" the king asked.

"Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I can't believe how far you've gone for the sake of that harlot."

"Please stop shouting. I don't know who you're referring to or what's upset you so much. If your trip went badly, don't take it out on me." He tried to calm her.

Of course he knew what she was talking about. And he knew his mother adored Luciana — was deeply grateful to her for what she'd done for him.

"I'm talking about that Eloisa girl. Ever since you brought her to the palace, all you've done is hurt Luciana's feelings. What good are those eyes if you can't see the kind of viper you've brought under this roof?" The woman was moments away from cracking her cane over her son's head.

"Enough, please, Your Majesty. You don't understand." Eloisa appeared, stepping between Kael and the Queen Mother. "Kael isn't at fault. He's only worried about me and correcting Lady Sandoval's poor behavior."

"You... this is all your fault. A common trollop who's blinded my fool of a son."

The Queen Mother swung her cane at Eloisa, but Kael caught it.

"Don't disrespect her, Mother. Eloisa is the daughter of the warrior who saved my life. I brought her to the palace for her protection, and that's something Luciana has refused to accept," Kael said.

"There's no doubt those eyes are truly wasted on you. Luciana should never have sacrificed hers for someone like you," the Queen Mother lamented.

Eloisa clenched her fists in the fabric of her dress. She despised hearing everyone praise Luciana like she was a saint — even the servants valued her that much.

"Lady Sandoval wasn't exactly a saint either. She — she didn't just disappear. She ran off with her lover!" Eloisa shouted with obvious intent.

Kael stared at her in surprise, while the Queen Mother's knuckles whitened around her cane.

Eloisa moved closer to Kael and grabbed his hand, trembling theatrically.

"I — I didn't want to say anything. But that's why she pushed me down the stairs — she found out I'd discovered her secret. I saw her sneaking a man into her room. I heard everything... the two of them... in bed..." she sobbed.

Kael's fists tightened as Eloisa's words sank in, nails digging into his palms. The thought that Luciana had been with another man, that she'd betrayed him so disgustingly, made his blood boil.

"I'm sorry, Kael... I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping quiet. But watching everyone search for her so desperately, hearing them talk about her like she's a saint — it makes me so angry, especially for you. You loved her so much." She lowered her head, still sobbing.

"You heard her, Mother. Luciana is no saint. She's a whore who ran off with her lover," Kael spat.

The Queen Mother shook her head. "When you truly open your eyes, I hope Luciana never forgives you."

She turned and walked out. Kael, seething, ordered the search called off. There was no point — not now that he knew Luciana had fled with her lover.

"I'm sorry, Kael. She didn't know how to appreciate your love."

Eloisa rested her head against Kael's chest and wrapped her arms around him, a mocking smile hidden on her lips. Luciana's disappearance had been a gift.

Meanwhile, Luciana had convinced her father not to act impulsively. The duke returned to the camp and then to the palace, where he learned what was being said about his daughter. He confronted Kael before the entire court.

"Ungrateful wretch — that's what you are!" the duke roared.

"Watch your words, Duke. You're not speaking to one of your subordinates," Kael shot back.

"That's precisely why you're still alive. I left my daughter in your care, and when I return, I find she's vanished — and instead of searching for her, you've invented lies and dragged her name through the mud."

"Your daughter is no saint. She ran off with her lover. You should be grateful I didn't hunt her down and execute her for infidelity," Kael replied.

"If we're talking about infidelity, then look in the mirror, Your Majesty. Until my daughter's name has been cleared, my troops withdraw from the frontier," the duke threatened.

Murmurs erupted through the court. Some protested. Others knew the kingdom would be defenseless. A few believed the duke was overreacting — his daughter had fled, and here he was defending her.

"You can't do that. You—"

"Let him," the Queen Mother interrupted, rising from her seat. "Your daughter's honor was destroyed by that harlot of yours. Now face the consequences."

The Queen Mother stood before the duke and bowed.

"I beg your forgiveness, Your Grace. The fault is mine for raising an ungrateful son who's so easily manipulated," she said.

"Mother! Are you trying to humiliate me?"

"Me? You're doing that all by yourself. More than half this court is laughing at you because those eyes don't work — you're still blind because of that harlot," she scolded.

"Your Majesty the Queen Mother," the duke interjected, "forgive my outburst. But she is my daughter, and her reputation has been smeared. Until it's cleared and she is found, I'm withdrawing from the court and from everything connected to the palace."

"Duke Sandoval, are you suggesting a reb—"

"Silence. You may be king, but the crown is too big for you, my son. Duke Sandoval, go and do what you must to find your daughter," the Queen Mother said.

The duke strode out of the throne room. Inside, everything descended into chaos. The scene the duke had made had planted doubts in more than half the court.