Frozen Petals, Broken Vows

Synopsis

In the thirty-first year of the Aurelian dynasty, the first deep winter snow fell through the night, covering every trace of the bloody palace coup from the day before. With the new King on the throne, Charles Ashton, his most trusted ally, was elevated to the realm's highest office: Lord Chancellor. His first act as Chancellor was not to consolidate the new regime, but to dispatch guards to surround the private estate of Edward Holmes, the Royal Attendant. No one knew what happened inside Holmes Manor. It was only seen that at dawn, a carriage was ushered out from a side gate, its course set directly for the Ashton Manor. From that day onward, I went from being the Royal Attendant's wife to the Chancellor's kept woman. That night, in the bridal chamber, a candle sputtered. Charles gripped my chin roughly. "Anna Sinclair," he said, his voice like ice. "For wealth and status, you left me for Edward, a man who could never function as a true husband." He stared at me, his eyes red-rimmed. "Now that you are in my grasp," he said, each word as cold as winter, "do you regret it?" Swallowing a sob, I held his gaze. "Never," I said. Even if given a hundred chances to begin again, I would choose the same path without hesitation.