Captive of the Queen

They were supposed to kill me.That's how it works when you get caught trying to tear down a kingdom—you don't get mercy, you don't get second chances. You get a blade to the throat and your body left as a warning.But Queen Victoria Blake didn't kill me.She chained me, dragged me into her palace… and kept me.Now I'm trapped in the heart of the enemy I swore to destroy—watched, studied, tested like I'm some kind of problem she's determined to solve. She lets me walk her halls, sit at her table, even speak when I should be silenced.I should hate her. I do hate her.But the closer I get, the harder it is to ignore the truth.She's not what I expected.Cold. Controlled. Dangerous in a way that has nothing to do with her crown—and everything to do with the way she looks at me like she already knows how I'll break.This isn't mercy.It's a game.And I don't know if I'm the prisoner… or the piece she refuses to let go.Because in a kingdom built on power and fear, getting close to the queen might be the most dangerous move I've ever made.And walking away from her?Might be impossible.