Chapter 1

I was the girl taken in by Richard Hawthorne, Commander of the Ironridge Battalion. For eighteen years, the entire camp spoiled me silly.

But then, King Onyx recognized me as his own daughter.

That night, my foster father Richard hugged me and cried his eyes out. "Bella, there are a lot of bad people in the palace. If they treat you badly, come tell Dad."

I nodded.

On my wedding night, my husband, Edward Blackwood, a duke's heir, made me stand out in the rain all night because of his mistress.

The next day, I was barely hanging on. With the last bit of strength I had, I sent a message by a bird: [Dad, they're way too harsh.]

Half a month later, Richard marched fifty thousand strong from Ironridge Battalion to the city gates.

He kicked open the palace gates, pressed the signet ring into my hand, his eyes full of worry and love. "Bella, don't be afraid. Dad's conquered the royal palace for you. If anyone dares to be harsh on you, do whatever you want."

*****

The tall beeswax candles flickered in the wind, wax dripping onto the stone floor. I stood in the freezing rain, drenched from head to toe. My wedding dress clung to me like a suffocating second skin I couldn't escape from.

Under the eaves, my newlywed husband, Edward, had his arms wrapped around a sultry dancer, his mistress.

He held a cup of warm wine and stared at me like I was pathetic. "Isabella," he said, his voice smooth but cold, "do you realize what you did wrong?"

I lifted my head, rain blurring my eyes. Through the mist, I saw Lily Green, the dancer, nestled in his embrace, shooting me a mocking grin.

Wrong? What did I do wrong?

All I did was accidentally spill some wine on her dress during the toast. And because of her, he made me stand in the courtyard on our wedding night.

"Lord Edward, look at Her Royal Highness, her eyes are still so stubborn," Lily said in a honeyed voice, with a hint of malice.

Edward let out a low chuckle, gripping her chin. "No matter. Keep her punished long enough, and she'll break."

I'd break? Dad's first lesson in Ironridge was that I should never break.

I gritted my teeth, spitting out each word. "Edward, you'll regret this."

He laughed, as if she'd told the biggest joke he'd ever heard. "Regret?"

He stepped down, looming over her, rain sliding down his striking face. "You really think a princess dragged out of the wilderness deserves my regret?"

He lifted his foot and pressed down hard on my hand with his superb boot. Pain shot through me, sharp and deep.

"Isabella, face the truth about who you are," he sneered. "You're nothing but a pawn King Onyx used to keep Richard in check. Play nice, and you can still be my wife. Otherwise..." He pressed his boot down harder.

I heard the sickening pop of my finger bones. The pain was so sharp that everything went dark for a moment.

But I didn't make a sound. I locked eyes with him and carved his face into my memory.

Dad, they were way too harsh. You promised me, whenever I was wronged, you'd come for me.

The night grew darker, and the rain poured harder.

Edward led Lily back to his chamber, leaving me all alone in the wind and rain.

As my mind slipped into darkness, I caught a glimpse of a carrier pigeon landing on the windowsill.

With the last of my strength, I pulled out the note I'd already written and tied it to the pigeon's leg.

'Go on, little one,' I urged silently. 'Fly fast. Get back to Ironridge and tell Dad his Bella is barely hanging on. They're about to break me.'