#Chapter 17: The Burden

(King’s POV) Watching Evelyn ride out from the palace gates, her spine straight, her eyes clear, I feel the kind of pride that aches. Like something too big for the chest, swelling beneath the ribs. And yet—beneath that pride, a father’s fear simmers quietly. I know what she’s walking into. A den of wolves with sharp teeth and sharper opinions. I almost called her back. Almost told her she didn’t have to prove anything. That it wasn’t her job to clean up a mess caused by complacency and ego. I had hesitated for a long moment before she left, speaking through the mindlink we share. “You don’t have to go, Evelyn. If facing Logan will wound you again, you can say no.” She hadn’t even blinked. Her voice came back to me with a quiet peace that felt older than her years. Perhaps older than even me. “The kingdom’s military is more important than all of this.” And that was it. Not a flicker more of hesitation. She reminded me so much of her mother in that moment. Strong