I wasn't supposed to notice her.
She was just another name on a parchment. Lady Clara Whitmore, daughter of the late Duke Whitmore, ward of a failing estate, raised in the countryside far from court. Another political arrangement, nothing more.
At least—that's what I told myself.
But the moment she stepped into the Inner Court for the first time, I looked up. And for the first time in months, I actually saw someone.
Not because she was beautiful, though she was—too much for her own safety. It was the way she stood, like the world owed her answers and she wasn't afraid to demand them. Her chin tilted high, even when faced with the weight of nobility that wanted to crush her.
And then she opened her mouth.
Sharp. Direct. Unapologetic.
She didn't speak like the rest of them—those soft-spoken daughters of lords trained to smile and agree. No, Clara questioned everything. She challenged the Queen Dowager without even realizing the risk.
I hated it.
I hated how my gaze kept drifting toward her during council meetings. How I found myself wondering what she'd say if I pulled her aside. How she seemed to burn in a room full of polished, cold marble.
So, I did the only thing I knew.
I kept my distance.
The moment I realized she stirred something in me—curiosity, irritation, maybe even admiration—I shut it down. I'd been taught to ignore weakness. And interest… interest was a weakness.
She was defiant. Reckless. A risk I couldn't afford.
And yet...
When I overheard the whispers—the nobles mocking her for her provincial upbringing, the way the Queen looked at her like a threat—I should have stayed silent.
But I didn't.
Instead, I found myself watching more closely. Speaking when I didn't have to. Testing her defenses just to see if they'd crack. They didn't. If anything, she pushed back harder.
That was the day I realized I hadn't misjudged her at all.
I had underestimated her.
And that was far more dangerous.
She wasn't the pawn I thought she'd be. And as much as I hated to admit it… a part of me was glad.
Because if this kingdom was going to survive what's coming, it might just need someone like her.
Even if that someone is the girl I was forced to marry.
Even if she'll never forgive me for it.