Chapter 30

• Cassandra watched Althea's departure with a mixture of frustration and envy. Her fellow bride was now free to explore and experience things outside the confines of the castle, while Cassandra felt like a caged bird, trapped in the suffocating world of King Darian's palace.
• "Isn't it unfair?" she muttered under her breath, the bitterness in her voice evident to Fiona, who was sitting nearby. Fiona, a more pragmatic and easygoing bride, glanced at Cassandra, raising an eyebrow.
• "What's unfair?" she inquired, her voice laced with curiosity.