The entire capital was filled with whispers.
Gossip had never moved this fast. It spread like smoke in a dry field, blowing from one side of the city to the other. From bakeries to taverns, from servants' quarters to noble halls, there was only one thing on everyone's lips.
She was back.
The bride of the devil had returned.
Some spoke with fear. Others with curiosity. A few with excitement. But most were stunned. People who hadn't attended the wedding rushed to the palace just to catch a glimpse of her. The woman everyone thought was long gone. The one who had disappeared from the empire like a ghost.
And now, she walked the palace halls again.
But she wasn't the same.
In the grand palace, Olga stormed through the corridor like a woman possessed. Her cheeks were flushed, her hands clenched. Her lips moved without sound as she walked, already preparing her insults.
She threw the door open and stepped in.
There, standing by the tall glass window, was Lydia.
