Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

With so much on her mind, Grace couldn't sleep. She rose, pulling a shawl over her shoulders, and walked with Lyra to Caden's chambers.

Silently, she dismissed the attendants keeping watch over him for the night. Taking a seat by his bedside, her gaze fell upon her son's delicate, youthful face. He seemed to be having a nightmare. Even with his eyes closed, she could feel the fear emanating from him.

She let out a quiet sigh, a flicker of vexation rising within her.

Asher-that was the middle name Trevor had chosen for Caden, one meant to instill virtue and teach him kindness and humility. But in truth, it was a name meant to make him docile, to mold him into a man who would yield and never fight, forever content in the shadow of others.

Why should he settle for that?

Her son had every advantage but birthright. In every way, he surpassed Kylie's

son.

It was not that Grace wished to fight, but without a fight, there was no survival.

Kylie was narrow-minded, selfish to the extreme, and utterly intolerant of threats to her position. If Caden had been dull or unremarkable, perhaps it wouldn't have mattered. But he was neither. Instead, he was the brightest and most gifted of the three princes.

How could one tolerate a rival sleeping soundly beside them?

Connor might not be so ruthless now, but who could say what the future held? He and his mother would never tolerate threats to their power. To stand aside was to court ruin; to surrender was to die forgotten and unmourned.

Tomorrow, Grace would win. There was no alternative.

She had never entertained the notion of failure.

carefully crafted to ensure success. Every detail had been meticulously arranged, and it was a strategy

she rose and slipped away. Lyra quietly summoned the waiting

rest, Your Grace. It is

edges of her face. Her eyes, however, glinted coldly in the

sleep. No doubt Queen Kylie is just as restless. She still clings to the foolish

"If anything, Queen Kylie is torn between hope and despair. Prince Connor is improving, but has grown distant.

fool," Grace

vel

son merely to preserve her dignity. Adults may understand her reasoning, but Prince Connopis still a child. How could he possibly accept that his own mother would go so far as to

Grace. A royal prince doesn't act lightly, but when he does, he must

her brows knitted in

had never been her wish for her son to stain his

as they always did. Victoria had arranged shared chambers for them, believing that Ryan's presence would

beds had

ends of the

per the

bond grew, he had ordered the servants to move the beds closer, so they

anxious Connor turned to Ryan, asking, "You don't think I'll falter

ride poorly, my father

Uncle Rafael has praised your progress. Just relax. Don't let fear get the better of you. Ride as if it were any

am I supposed to not

groaned.

Verdant