Thinking of Lunara brought a dull ache to his chest. He couldn't help but feel as though their marriage was cursed. Before they could even savor the quiet joy of their newly formed bond, before they could exist simply as husband and wife, their world was turned upside down and the kingdom was dragged headfirst into a brutal, total war.
And then came the fracture that tore the royal family apart from the inside out.
His father's sudden, shocking announcement declaring Magnus as the heir to the throne had hit like a thunderbolt. It had caught everyone completely off guard, none more so than his older brother, a man who had spent his entire life molding himself, preparing every breath and action to succeed their father. In a single evening, decades of preparation had been swept away, leaving behind a poisoned court, a bitter brother, and a throne Magnus wasn't ready to hold.
