2
“So, Lord Damian knew nothing of this wedding? Is House Ashton forcing his hand?”
“And the lady beside him… that must be his true love. Has he been bewitched by this Seraphina?”
Hearing the crowd’s speculation, Clara swayed, a picture of tragic beauty. “Damian, my love… perhaps I shou Id not have returned. I will leave at once…”
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“Forgive me, this is your wedding day. I have been thoughtless…” She turned to go, then collapsed as if her strength had given out.
“Clara!” Damian caught her, scooping her into his arms. He turned to me, his voice dripping with disappoint
ment.
“Seraphina, Clara is innocent in this. How could you allow these rumors to spread? A lady’s honor is paramo
unt. Do you mean to destroy her?”
Watching him clutch her so tightly, my eyes began to sting. Did he ever once consider what would become of my honor if I had begged my father to rescind a royal decree?
I remained silent, but my handmaiden, Elspeth, could not. “My lord, you go too far!” she cried. “When did you ever send word to cancel this union? Why, just three days ago, you were at Ashton Manor, telling my lady to prepare herself with a joyful heart!”
The crowd murmured in agreement.
“It’s true! For the past month, the young lord has been visiting every jeweler in the city, buying every piece that would suit Lady Seraphina!”
“And the pastry shop on the West Street she loves so much! Lord Damian has been there before dawn every morning, just so she could have them fresh from the oven!”
“He took her boating on the river just last week! The love in his eyes was plain for all to see!”
“My lord, this is your wedding day! Put aside this quarrel, change into your finery, and wed your bride!”
The chorus of voices made Damian’s face flush with anger. But in his arms, Clara, with a sly, secret smile, let out a small gasp.
“Oh! But… for the past month, Damian has been with me, taking the air in the southern provinces. How could he possibly have been in the capital?”
Her voice was not loud, but it silenced the entire square.
The whispers began anew.
“I saw the young lord riding back into the city from the country this morning. Why would he be traveling so close to his own wedding?”
“But the man in the capital was Lord Damian. We all saw him.”
“Wait… are you an imposter?”
Amid the rising suspicion, Damian sneered and produced the heavy signet ring of his house. “Open your eyes and see what this is!”
Elspeth gasped in disbelief. “Impossible! There must be some mistake! My lord, you were with my lady every day for the past month!”
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Instead, I fell into a warm, strong embrace.
I opened my eyes cautiously. As I did, the string of the man’s simple riding mask snapped, revealing a face of breathtaking beauty. Flustered, he murmured, “Be careful, my lady,” and was gone before I could find my voice.
It was love at first sight.
Later, at a court banquet, I saw him again. He was Lord Damian, the heir to the Dukedom of Thorne. He didn‘ t seem to recognize me.
From that day on, I cast aside the decorum of a highborn lady and pursued him with a singular focus. I sha- melessly orchestrated “chance” encounters, desperate to make him see me. I spent nights embroidering a handkerchief with his sigil and had it delivered to him.
Then, I overheard the whispers. He had a childhood love, Clara, the daughter of a Knight–Banneret. My cour- age failed me. I retreated, ceasing my pursuit.
But he sought me out. He cornered me in the palace gardens, showing me the embroidered handkerchief tucked into his belt.
It was the one I had made.
He smiled, a slow, intoxicating smile. “Seraphina of House Ashton, what is the meaning of this favor?”
Mortified, I reached for it, but he deftly blocked my hand.
“You have another you are sworn to! Give it back! Forgive my intrusions these past months!”
For the first time, his smile reached his eyes. “She is but a friend. And you… do you truly not understand my heart?”
That night, emboldened, I begged my father to petition the King for a royal decree, uniting our houses throu gh marriage. I believed our love was mutual. I never imagined that on the day the decree was announced, Clara would quietly leave the capital.
And Damian, panicked, finally realizing where his heart truly lay, rode after her, leaving a perfect imitation in his place to fool a kingdom, and a bride.
I was the biggest fool of all.
2
“So, Lord Damian knew nothing of this wedding? Is House Ashton forcing his hand?”
“And the lady beside him… that must be his true love. Has he been bewitched by this Seraphina?”
Hearing the crowd’s speculation, Clara swayed, a picture of tragic beauty. “Damian, my love… perhaps I shou- Id not have returned. I will leave at once…”
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Chapter 1
“Forgive me, this is your wedding day. I have been thoughtless…” She turned to go, then collapsed as if her
strength had given out.
“Clara!” Damian caught her, scooping her into his arms. He turned to me, his voice dripping with disappoint
ment.
“Seraphina, Clara is innocent in this. How could you allow these rumors to spread? A lady’s honor is paramo- unt. Do you mean to destroy her?”
Watching him clutch her so tightly, my eyes began to sting. Did he ever once consider what would become
of my honor if I had begged my father to rescind a royal decree?
I remained silent, but my handmaiden, Elspeth, could not. “My lord, you go too far!” she cried. “When did your ever send word to cancel this union? Why, just three days ago, you were at Ashton Manor, telling my lady to prepare herself with a joyful heart!”
The crowd murmured in agreement.
“It’s true! For the past month, the young lord has been visiting every jeweler in the city, buying every piece that would suit Lady Seraphina!”
“And the pastry shop on the West Street she loves so much! Lord Damian has been there before dawn every morning, just so she could have them fresh from the oven!”
‘He took her boating on the river just last week! The love in his eyes was plain for all to see!”
‘My lord, this is your wedding day! Put aside this quarrel, change into your finery, and wed your bride!”
The chorus of voices made Damian’s face flush with anger. But in his arms, Clara, with a sly, secret smile, let
out a small gasp.
‘Oh! But… for the past month, Damian has been with me, taking the air in the southern provinces. How could ne possibly have been in the capital?”
Her voice was not loud, but it silenced the entire square,
The whispers began anew.
‘I saw the young lord riding back into the city from the country this morning. Why would he be traveling so close to his own wedding?”
‘But the man in the capital was Lord Damian. We all saw him.”
‘Wait… are you an imposter?”
Amid the rising suspicion, Damian sneered and produced the heavy signet ring of his house. “Open your eyes and see what this is!”
Elspeth gasped in disbelief. “Impossible! There must be some mistake! My lord, you were with my lady every day for the past month!”
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My nails, I realized, had dug so deeply into my palms they had drawn blood. My marriage to House Thorne
was decreed by the King himself. Would Damian truly admit to using a double, an automaton, in his place? It
would not only be a mortal insult to my family, but a slap in the face to the King.
