Chapter 1
Garrick Aveline and I were the worst match in the world.
He hated me for tearing him away from my sister–Selene Winthale.
And I hated him for never having room in his heart for anyone else.
In the eight years we were married, the thing we said to each other the most was, “May you die a terrible death.”
But when the city fell, he tied me to his warhorse and stood with sword drawn in the enemy’s path.
“Lysandra. Go. Don’t look back”
Arrows tore through him. As I vanished into the distance, he cast one last glance my way.
“I owe you nothing in this life.”
“Should there be a next life, I beg Your Highness–let her be the one.”
When I finally broke free and ran back, he was already gone–his hand clutching Selene’s crystal pendant.
That night, I jumped from the tower wall. For the kingdom. For him.
When I opened my eyes again, I went to my father.
“Send me to the Northern Wastes. For the marriage alliance–let me go in Princess Selene’s stead.”
In this life, I would be the one to leave home and protect our people, fulfilling the wish he never could.
“You want to take Selene’s place in the political marriage?”
My father looked at me like I’d gone mad.
After all, whenever anything unfortunate happened to Selene, I was the first one to rub salt in the wound.
Sending me to that wasteland instead of her? Absolutely impossible.
“Didn’t you just beg me to grant your marriage to General Aveline?”
I froze for a moment.
“Forget it. Let Selene have him.”
He stared at me, conflicted.
He didn’t want to say it out loud, but between me and Selene, he’d always favored her, the sweet, charming youngest daughter.
In my past life, had I not fought tooth and nail against it, he would’ve sent me in her place anyway.
So he turned and ordered the royal decree rewritten.
It was raining as I stepped out of the Great Hall. And there he was -kneeling alone in the storm.
In the past, Garrick had done the same. He knelt in the rain for hours, begging His Majesty to take back the order that sent Selene to the borderlands.
Back then, I’d had him dragged inside,
And forced him to marry
Now, I simply held my umbrella over him, tilting it slightly in his direction.
He looked up at me, frowning. Then quickly averted his gaze.
“Has it not crossed your mind that should the King change his mind, I’ll be the one sent to marry the barbarian prince?”
His voice remained steady.
“I am the Commander of the Royal Guard. I will never allow any princess to be used as a pawn for peace.”
I chuckled.
“Commander Aveline, one of us will be sent to the North. You kneeling here won’t change that.”
His eyes narrowed.
If Her Highness hadn’t interfered and twisted His Majesty’s will, perhaps it could have been stopped.”
I pulled back the umbrella. “What a shame, then.”
And I walked away without another word, ignoring the stunned look on his face.
I didn’t tell him the truth. That I’d already taken Selene’s place.
Let him stew in his misery a while longer. After all, he endured it his whole last life.
Jon the wedding day, when he saw Selene instead of me in the bridal veil, he’d probably be overjoyed.
I remembered how, back then, he didn’t care how I screamed or struggled. He tied me to his only horse and faced down the enemy alone. My chest tightened.
I had tried everything to make Garrick stay by my side.
But even when he gave his life for me, his heart had long been buried with Selene on the northern frontier.
Garrick Aveline, you died for me once. This time, let me give you a gift in return.
