When Alina woke up, it was already evening. For a few seconds, the room felt unfamiliar to her. Then all the memories came rushing back: the fall, the pain and the whispers. Her shoulder and ankle still hurt. She tried not to wince, aware of Austin sleeping beside her. But when she turned around, he was already watching her.

He sat up and helped her sit. His one hand supported her back while the other adjusted the pillows behind her injured shoulder. Then he poured her medicine and held the cup to her lips.

While drinking the medicine, Alina noticed the injury on his hand.

"When did this happen?," she asked, setting the cup aside, and taking his hand.

Austin looked down at his hand, then back at her.

"You fell off a horse," he replied.

Her expression softened. She lifted his hand and kissed it softly. But the moment was shattered by a sudden knock at the door.

Austin opened the door and a palace servant entered carrying a sealed letter on a silver tray.

"The council’s official evaluation of Riding Trial," he bowed and left immediately.

Austin brought the letter to Alina on the bed. She immediately broke the seal and began reading in silence. Instead of reading letter with her, he observed her facial expressions, which slowly transformed from anxiety to anger.

"They called it ’commendable persistence,’" she said bitterly. "But I lacked sufficient control and displayed physical instability under pressure."

She dropped the letter on the bed angrily.

"They completely ignored the sabotage. And didn’t even gave a clear verdict, marking the trial incomplete."

"They’re not even pretending to be fair anymore," Austin sighed.

Laura, who had entered the room quietly while they were reading, walked over and stood by the bed.

"The system was never meant to be fair," she said. "It was designed to break people like you."

Before Alina could answer, someone knocked at the door again.

"Come in," Austin called.

Another servant stepped inside carrying a new sealed document.

"Lady Alina’s next evaluation," he said, handing it to Alina.

Alina opened it the moment he left.

"Historical examination," she read aloud. "Scheduled for tomorrow morning."

Laura’s face turned pale with worry.

"What happened?" Austin asked.

"She will have to face royal historians and court scholars on Arcasedian history, royal customs, succession laws, and diplomatic traditions."

Before any of them could say anything, Laura hurried out of the room.

"She looks more stressed than I do," Alina muttered.

"It’s because she knows what these people are capable of," Austin replied.

Twenty minutes later, Laura returned carrying a huge pile of books.

"We shouldn’t waste time," Laura said, setting the books on the table. "You need to be prepared or else they’d tear you apart."

Alina chuckled.

"As if they aren’t already trying."

"It’s not the time for jokes," Laura said, handing her a book about Arcasedian history.

Alina opened the book and tried to focus, but couldn’t. The pain in her shoulder and ankle was too much. The medicine made her drowsy again, making the words blur.

"I can’t memorize an entire kingdom overnight," she groaned, rubbing her temple, after almost an hour.

"You don’t have to," Austin replied. "Close the book and rest."

Alina wanted to. She wanted to forget about the trials, and sleep while lying in Austin’s arms. But she didn’t want them to give another chance to insult her and her relationship with Austin again.

"I can manage," she replied.

Austin wasn’t convinced but he didn’t argue. As the evening slowly turned into night, the room became dimmer. Her vision blurred more with every passing hour.

Austin finally reached over and closed the book she was reading.

"You can barely keep your eyes open."

"I have to pass," she argued, reaching for it again.

"Survival is more important," he replied.

"So after everything....you think I should just walk away? Let them win?" her voice mixed with frustration and exhaustion.

"Watching you get hurt every single day is killing me. Valdren is trying to break you, and the council is helping him. This isn’t a trial anymore. They want to do to you exactly what they did to your mother," Austin replied in frustration.

"But...if I walk away now...you’ll be forced to marry Audrey. I can’t lose you."

The words hit him hard.

"There is no world where I willingly choose someone else over you," he said, holding her hands. "You are the one for me, Alina. Always." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Tears welled up in her eyes instantly. Austin pulled her into his arms before she could say anything else. She closed her eyes and held onto him tightly, ignoring all the fear, and exhaustion.

The next morning, Alina stood outside the grand chamber for the Historical Examination. Her shoulder and ankle were still aching. But she ignored the pain. Austin squeezed her hand tightly, reassuring her as the door to the grand chamber opened.

The chamber was packed with scholars in dark robes and nobles who were watching her like hungry wolves. King Lucien sat at the center while Valdren sat next to him, calm as ever.

An attendant showed Alina her seat. She sat down and the test began.

Outside the chamber, Austin was pacing nervously when Dorian came to him.

"The nobleman who sabotaged the horse is gone," he informed him without wasting a second.

"What?"

"He disappeared sometime before sunset yesterday," Dorian continued. "His chambers are empty. But the guards claim they never saw him leave."

Austin clenched his fists in anger.

"He was our only witness."

"And now he’s gone," Dorian said, looking genuinely worried.

Meanwhile, inside the chamber, Alina answered the first few questions right, surprising everyone.

Then the head scholar slid a sheet of paper across the table. Alina picked it up and froze.

The paragraph was written in an ancient royal dialect, a nearly forgotten language only the elderly nobles and royal tutors still studied. She looked around and noticed a lot of nobles already smirking.

"Surely Princess Isadora’s daughter would know the language of her own bloodline," Valdren said, his voice full of poison.