Chapter 8 Chapter 8
Lydia walked over to Isabella's room, her pulse climbing against her ribs. When she opened the door she saw Isabella sitting on the edge of the bed, looking sad.
Lydia had already dressed her earlier that morning, but the princess looked completely drained.
"My lady, the prince wants you to come down for breakfast," Lydia whispered, bowing her head as fear gripped her throat.
Choosing to serve this heartbroken princess felt like the absolute worst mistake she could have made.
"Tell him I am not hungry," Isabella answered, her voice cold. She kept her eyes glued to the window, staring out at nothing.
Lydia hurried back down to the grand dining hall.
The moment Kade saw her return empty-handed, pure fury flared in his eyes. He could not believe Isabella dared to defy his direct command. Before Lydia could even open her mouth, Kade cut her off.
"Tell her if I do not see her here in five minutes, I will send your head to her room as a gift," Kade growled, his face twisting in rage.
Lydia ran back up the stairs in absolute terror. Before Kade could count down the minutes, Isabella stormed into the dining hall. Her blood boiled with disgust that he had stooped so low as to threaten her innocent maid just to force her down.
Kade locked his eyes on her as she sank into a chair beside his mother, right across from him.
His eyes narrowed to slits when he noticed her hair was chopped short and wildly uneven. He swallowed hard, forcing his rising temper down.
Queen Nyssara offered a bright, welcoming smile, though Isabella kept her eyes glued strictly to her empty plate. The queen motioned for the servants to bring out the food.
"I hope the meal is to your liking?" Nyssara asked warmly, trying to bridge the gap as Isabella picked at her food.
Isabella gave a slight nod, forcing a tiny piece of food past her lips. Her stomach sat in tight knots, making her feel completely full despite having barely eaten a bite.
Kade ignored his own food entirely, his attention fixed on her every move. He watched her lips wrap around the fork, and an intense, overwhelming cold surged through his veins.
The strange sensation made his chest tight, forcing him to swallow hard every time she took a bite.
Isabella could not endure the tension a second longer. She abruptly pushed her chair back and stood up. "Excuse me, Your Highness," she managed politely, turning to leave.
"Sit," Kade commanded, his voice deep and demanding.
The sound of his voice made her skin crawl. Isabella gritted her teeth in absolute frustration, hating how completely he held power over her.
"I need to use the restroom, Your Highness," she squeezed out between tightly clenched teeth, her irritation boiling over.
"Oh, come on, Kade. Let her go," Cassian chimed in smoothly, taking a slow sip from his cup.
Isabella turned and walked out, leaving Kade sitting there, more furious than ever.
Isabella hoped she could hide away in her room for the rest of the day, but having a future husband like Kade meant peace was impossible.
Later that afternoon, Lydia entered the room with another message. Kade expected her to attend the weekly night tournament, and he had ordered Lydia to prepare her.
Isabella let out a heavy sigh. She stripped off her clothes and sank directly into the steaming bathwater without waiting for help.
"I can tell you are mad at Prince Kade," Lydia offered, giving her a knowing, gentle smile.
"Why can't he just leave me alone?" Isabella vented, her voice cracking with frustration. "He got what he wanted by dragging me here like it was his life mission. What more could he possibly want from me?"
Lydia sighed softly as she unfolded a thick towel. "I understand your pain, but do not worry. All of this will end once he is ready to marry his betrothed."
Isabella froze in the water, her breath catching in her throat. She had no feelings for Kade, but the word hit her like a physical blow.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she studied the maid.
Lydia gasped, catching herself too late. Panic washed over her face as she realized she had let slip a dangerous royal secret.
"I have said too much," Lydia whispered, dropping to her knees beside the tub.
"Please, Lydia. Tell me the truth," Isabella begged, sitting up straight in the water. "Does Kade have another woman?"
"Yes, my lady," Lydia confessed, her voice dropping to a quiet whisper. "This is something they hid from everyone after the great war ended and peace was declared."
Lydia leaned closer and explained the dark reality the Serpent Kingdom kept buried behind a fake display of peace. Whenever a werewolf princess was married into the royal family, the prince already had an official betrothed of his own species.
The werewolf bride was treated like nothing more than a temporary decoration. Once the prince grew bored or decided it was time to marry his real wife, the werewolf bride was simply tossed aside.
If she bore children, their fate was even worse. Those half-blood children grew up as slaves, farm hands, or foot soldiers forced onto the front lines to die first.
Some of the daughters were even forced into brothels. The absolute cruelest part was the mate mark itself. Once marked, the bond acted like a permanent cage. A marked woman could never mate with another man, forcing her to watch her husband love another woman while she endured the humiliation for the rest of her life.
Isabella stared at her, forcing herself to keep breathing as the horrific reality settled into her mind.
"Two of my brothers are already dead," Lydia sniffed, squeezing her eyes shut as tears spilled over. "They were used as punching bags in the tournament ring. In this kingdom, there is no fairytale ending for werewolf women."
A wave of deep sorrow washed over Isabella. Everything suddenly made sense, why all the servants she had seen were werewolves, and why she had not seen a single serpent servant since her arrival.
Lydia wiped her eyes quickly and tried to shift the focus. "I need to get you dressed fast before I get into trouble," she murmured, helping Isabella out of the tub.
A heavy, painful weight settled in Isabella's stomach and refused to budge. The romantic future she had always dreamed of sharing with her future mate had been completely destroyed. Kade had crushed every single bit of it.
Back in the bedchamber, Isabella pulled on her undergarments, feeling completely vulnerable and exposed. Then she picked up the gown and pulled it up to her waist. Before she could slide her arms into the sleeves, the doors burst open.
Kade walked straight into the room like he owned it. His sharp eyes instantly locked onto her exposed chest, covered by only a thin strip of fabric.
