CHAPTER FIFTY TWO
TANYA'S POV
I never imagined I would one day sit peacefully beside a human king without hatred filling my heart.
Yet there I was.
Walking beside Daniel through the royal palace after King Adrian accepted me warmly.
Everything still felt unreal.
The King had not rejected me.
He had not insulted me.
Instead, he welcomed me kindly for Daniel's sake.
And strangely enough…
That kindness frightened me.
Because deep inside, I knew I was hiding the biggest truth of all.
The King still did not recognize me.
He did not know that I was once the little girl who came crying to this very palace years ago.
A starving child begging for justice.
The abused niece of his close friend.
My uncle.
The same man who tortured me, stole my inheritance, and tried to kill me.
That day, I stood before King Adrian covered in bruises and tears, desperately begging him to help me.
But instead of listening—
He dismissed me coldly.
He believed my uncle's lies without hesitation.
Then he ordered the guards to throw me out of the palace like I was nothing.
That humiliation remained carved inside my soul forever.
And now…
Years later…
The same king was smiling warmly at me without realizing who I truly was.
I lowered my gaze quietly.
Part of me wanted to reveal everything.
But another part feared destroying the fragile happiness Daniel and I had finally found.
What if the King hated me after learning the truth?
What if he regretted accepting me?
What if he blamed me for hiding my identity?
No.
I could not risk it.
Not now.
Not when everything between Daniel and both kingdoms was already complicated enough.
Daniel noticed my silence immediately.
"You're thinking too much again," he said softly.
I forced a small smile.
"Maybe."
He stopped walking before gently holding my hands.
"My father likes you," he assured me calmly.
"That's already obvious."
I looked away quietly.
If only he knew how complicated everything truly was.
Because my worries did not end with the King.
If King Adrian eventually visited the covenant…
Would the witches truly accept him?
The covenant hated humans.
Many witches still viewed humans as enemies.
Even now, some of them barely accepted Daniel despite learning about his true origins.
What would happen when an actual human king entered their sacred territory?
The thought alone made me uneasy.
Still—
Daniel deserved peace between both sides of his family.
And for that to happen…
The two worlds needed to coexist somehow.
---
Several hours later, Daniel and I finally returned to the covenant.
The moment we stepped through the sacred borders, something immediately felt strange.
The atmosphere was unusually tense.
Even the guards looked nervous.
Daniel frowned slightly beside me.
"What happened?"
Before anyone could answer—
A familiar voice suddenly echoed across the courtyard.
"Prince Daniel."
My body stiffened instantly.
Raymond.
Daniel turned toward him calmly while I narrowed my eyes silently.
Prince Raymond stood near the sacred fire wearing his usual elegant smile.
But this time—
Something about him felt different.
Softer.
Controlled.
Carefully controlled.
"I came to apologize," Raymond said calmly.
Daniel looked surprised.
"For everything that happened between us."
Silence filled the courtyard.
I remained completely still while watching Raymond carefully.
Apologize?
Just like that?
No anger.
No threats.
No jealousy.
After everything he did?
Something inside me immediately distrusted it.
But I said nothing.
Daniel stepped forward first.
"There's no need to hold grudges anymore," he replied calmly.
"We are brothers now."
Raymond smiled slightly.
"You are more merciful than I deserve."
I watched his eyes carefully.
And for one brief moment—
I saw it again.
That darkness hidden behind his smile.
Gone almost instantly.
But I noticed it.
Raymond slowly turned toward me afterward.
"And Princess Tanya…"
His voice softened slightly.
"I also apologize to you."
I forced myself to remain calm.
"Apology accepted," I replied quietly.
But deep inside—
My instincts were screaming at me.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Raymond was not the kind of man who surrendered peacefully.
Especially not after losing everything.
The covenant.
The throne.
Power over me.
There was no way he simply accepted defeat so easily.
Still—
I hid my suspicions behind a calm expression.
Because unlike before…
I no longer underestimated dangerous people.
---
Later that evening, Daniel and I went to meet the Queen and Daniel's grandfather inside the royal chambers of the covenant.
The sacred torches illuminated the large chamber softly while several elders stood nearby discussing matters quietly.
The moment we entered, the Queen smiled warmly at Daniel.
"My son," she greeted softly.
Even now, Daniel still looked slightly awkward whenever she called him that.
But I noticed he no longer pulled away emotionally like before.
Slowly…
The distance between mother and son was disappearing.
Daniel stepped forward respectfully.
"We came to inform you about something important."
Immediately, the chamber became quiet.
Daniel exchanged a glance with me before continuing.
"King Adrian wishes to visit the covenant."
Instantly—
Murmurs spread across the room.
Several elders looked shocked.
Others looked deeply uncomfortable.
One elderly witch frowned immediately.
"A human king inside the covenant?"
Another elder shook his head.
"That has never happened before."
"The sacred grounds are forbidden to ordinary humans."
Daniel's grandfather remained silent while observing everyone carefully.
The Queen also looked thoughtful.
I tightened my fingers slightly beside Daniel.
Exactly as I feared.
The elders were already resisting the idea.
Then suddenly—
To everyone's surprise—
Raymond stepped forward calmly.
"I agree with the King's visit."
The entire chamber turned toward him in shock.
Even I froze slightly.
Raymond continued calmly.
"If Prince Daniel is truly part of both worlds, then peace between humans and the covenant must eventually begin somewhere."
The elders exchanged uncertain glances.
Daniel himself looked surprised.
But me?
I became even more suspicious.
Why was Raymond supporting this so easily?
Nothing about this felt natural.
The Queen studied Raymond silently for several moments before finally speaking.
"You truly support this decision?"
Raymond lowered his head respectfully.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
His voice sounded sincere.
Too sincere.
And that alone made my heart uneasy.
Because deep inside—
I could feel it.
A storm was coming again.
And somehow…
Prince Raymond was standing directly at the center of it.
END OF CHAPTER FIFTY TWO