I take a deep breath, steeling my nerves as I stare at the ornate wooden doors before me.

Prince Alexander is just on the other side.

I have to do this, even if the thought makes my skin crawl. It's the best way to gain access to my enemy, learn his weaknesses. It brings me one step closer to unraveling the mystery of my death as Raven.

My time is now. Prince Hartley has been staying at the Asterian Palace for a while on a diplomatic mission but he might leave soon.

I attempt to psyche myself up, as I would before a particularly challenging mission. I pinch my cheeks firmly, letting out a strong exhale. A rush of adrenaline surges through my body as I let out a battle cry, propelling me forward to kick open the heavy, wooden doors with all my might. An explosive boom echoes through the air, startling me with its intensity. Oops. Perhaps I should have held back a little...

"Uh... hi," I stammer as I take in the scene inside Alexander's chambers. Yeah, judging by the expressions of the people in front of me, my entrance might’ve been a bit too intense. They stare at me, and I stare back.

Much to my surprise, Lady Clarissa is right here in his room! I take in the sight of the noblewoman perched on Alexander's desk, leaning in close to him. She's wearing a tight, low-cut purple dress that clings to her voluptuous curves, dark eyes smoldering above her red lips. They might be more than just acquaintances... Are Hartley and Lady Clarissa lovers? For some reason, a knot forms in my stomach at the thought.

Prince Alexander's eyes widen in shock, his mouth forming a perfect "O" as he takes in the sight of me standing in the doorway. But then, to my utter bewilderment, he covers his mouth and starts to chuckle, his eyes glinting with amusement. His body shakes slightly from the effort of trying to suppress his laughter.

What the hell, why is he laughing? Then it hits me - my leg is still up! I quickly lower my leg and smooth my dress, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks. "Sorry," I mutter, embarrassed but trying to keep my composure. "I'm here to see the Prince." I clench my fists, determined to stay focused on my mission.

Lady Clarissa huffs in indignation, sliding off the desk as she stalks toward me. "How dare you barge in here without knocking? Have you no respect for the Prince of Ironhold?" she scolds, waving her fan threateningly.

But I don't let her get to me. I can’t make a scene. So I ignore Lady Clarissa and address Alexander directly. "I must speak with you in private," I say sternly, locking eyes with Alexander. Turning to Lady Clarissa, I add, "Would you mind stepping out of the room?"

Lady Clarissa's face reddens, her nostrils flaring in outrage. Her thin eyebrows draw together as she tightly clenches her fan in her hand, her knuckles turning white from the force.

"I will do no such thing!" she splutters, her eyes bulging with sheer disbelief.

She turns on her heel to face Prince Alexander. The fan in her hand snaps open with an audible whoosh. I'm pretty sure I see a vein throbbing at her temple.

"Prince Alexander," Lady Clarissa implores with feigned grace as she fans herself rather vigorously. “Would you tell this... this... the princess to get out? She’s interrupting our meeting!" She then huffs, casting a disparaging glare at me. "If she wants to see you, she should follow protocol and request an audience."

I'm taken aback by her reaction. But I don't miss the smirk that plays on Prince Alexander's lips; he seems to be enjoying this little spectacle.

A nonchalant shrug of his shoulder is accompanied by an all too casual, “It’s fine, Lady Clarissa. Please give Princess Seraphina and me some privacy. We’ll resume our meeting some other time.”

Clarissa gapes at him in disbelief. "But... but..." she stammers, her voice pitching high as she looks between me and Alexander.

"Please, Lady Clarissa." His deep voice rings out in the room with a commanding tone that cuts through her rant. The amusement in his eyes transforms into a cold glare. "Step out."

Lady Clarissa blinks in surprise at his words, momentarily thrown off guard. Recovering quickly, however, she puffs out her chest and gazes up at him through heavy-lidded eyes. "As you wish, Your Highness.”

She turns dramatically, her beautiful auburn mane, scented with roses, whipping through the air as she faces the exit. Every part of her screams offended - from the way she stiffly straightens her back to how she juts her chin up. As she passes by me, her dark eyes give me a look of pure hate and contempt.

I know I shouldn't antagonize her, especially if I want to get close enough to gather intel on her relationship with Duke Sinclair. I dislike Lady Clarissa, she strikes me as conceited and prone to anger, but I must not let it show. How can I mend things between us?

With a suppressed sigh, I plaster on what I hope to be a charming smile and lift my hand in a friendly wave. I thought that would help, but for some reason that seems to piss her off even more. She simply sniffs disdainfully, slamming the door behind her with enough force to rattle the walls.

"Please, have a seat," Prince Alexander says to me, his intense yellow eyes locked onto mine as he gestures towards the chair in front of him.

I nod and take the offered seat, making a conscious effort to maintain my dignity despite the ridiculous way I entered the room. Alexander continues to watch me with a hint of amusement.

"Thank you," I say curtly, folding my hands in my lap and meeting his gaze head-on. It's time to put my plan into action.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

As soon as I'm seated, Prince Alexander leans in his chair, resting his elbows on the table and interlacing his fingers. He's so close that I can smell his characteristic aroma, a mix of burnt cedarwood and something else I can’t quite identify.

He tilts his head, and some of his dark locks cover part of his chiseled face. My cheeks heat up, and I swallow hard. Why is the man who ruined my life so infuriatingly handsome? His windswept black hair perfectly contrasts his pale skin. The afternoon sun filtering through the window makes his eyes gleam like molten gold. This body I now inhabit must be kind of attracted to him, which is totally not my fault!

"So…" Prince Alexander starts, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, "Do you always enter rooms like this?" His tone is playful, but it only serves to annoy me.

"Depends on the occasion," I retort, narrowing my eyes. "Anyway, I'm not here to talk about how I make an entrance." He chuckles, and I can't help but admire how his stern face suddenly softens.

"You look different," he says casually. My hand instinctively grips the fabric of my dress, anger rising within me. What's his deal?

"Is that an insult?" I snap, glaring at him. This is not a good start. But Prince Alexander doesn’t seem bothered by my reaction.

"No. That style looks good on you," he replies nonchalantly, and despite my efforts, I find myself blushing again. He's toying with me!

Inhaling deeply, I extend a flat hand towards him. "Stop with the pleasantries. They don't work on me," I tell him, looking him straight in the eye. It’s time to turn this thing around.

Clearing my voice, I decide to take the lead in the conversation. With my best serious face, I start talking. "I've come here today because I need a little something," I say, trying to sound confident.

Alexander looks intrigued, leaning back in his chair with an eyebrow raised. I smile inwardly. Now comes the fatal blow. "Are you a man of your word?" I ask the Prince. He did say that I could count on him if I ever needed anything. Negating a request from me would mean dishonoring himself.

"Of course," he replies without a hint of emotion in his voice. "What do you need?"

His composure only fuels my determination. "So, it turns out people are not scared of me," I begin, watching as his expression shifts from curiosity to confusion.

"Oh, and is that… a problem?" Alexander asks.

"Well, yes. They should be scared of me," I say after thinking about it for a second.

"Okay…" the Prince says, still looking puzzled. "Do you want me to be scared of you?" His confusion is almost palpable, and I can't help but feel a bit flustered by my inability to get to the point. I meant to say that since Tristan isn't scared of me, I need assistance.

"Yes. Well, no," I stumble over my words, my cheeks heating up with embarrassment. "You're not getting my point. Let me start again." I pause for a moment. I crack my neck and sigh, preparing myself for what I'm about to propose.

"Alright, listen up," I say, my hands slamming onto the desk with a loud thud as I lean forward in my chair. "I want you to pretend to be engaged to me."

There it is. Plain and simple.

Prince Alexander's eyes widen momentarily in surprise, but he quickly regains his cool, his face becoming an unreadable mask.

He shifts in his chair, resting an elbow on the armrest and placing his chin atop his hand, studying me with calculating eyes. "Would you care to explain what you mean exactly by that?" he asks, his tone devoid of any warmth.

I scoff, annoyed. I thought I had made myself pretty clear. "The other night in the gardens, you told me that if I ever needed something, I could count on you," I remind him. "So this is my request. I need you to pretend we're engaged, just for a while."

"That's... a pretty big request," the prince says, covering his mouth with his hands. It looks like he's suppressing a smile, and I can hear the mockery in his voice. My annoyance flares up at his reaction, and, clenching my fists, I rise abruptly from my chair, leaning in even closer to Alexander so our faces are only inches apart.

"You said you were a man of your word," I snap. "So, what's your answer, yes or no?"

Getting up from his chair, Prince Alexander faces me head-on and a knot forms in my throat. He opens his mouth to say something, and the cruel smile playing on his lips tells me he's about to refuse. Desperate to stop him, I boldly place my hand on top of his mouth.

"Wait!" I exclaim. The sensation of his soft lips against my palm sends a shiver down my spine, but I try to focus. “I have more,” I add, desperate.

A tingling sensation spreads through my hand as Prince Hartley removes it from his mouth, his lips brushing against my palm ever so slightly. I try to ignore the distraction of his smoldering, seductive look and concentrate on the task at hand. Retrieving a piece of paper from my pocket, I place it on the table between us.

"What is this?" he asks, unfolding the paper and scanning its contents.

Convincing the Prince to agree to a fake engagement with me would require some persuasion, so I was prepared to make him an irresistible offer.

"This is how much I can pay you," I reply with a smile, hoping the sum will be enough to sway him. After taking stock of all the dresses and jewels in my room, I'm confident that I can provide him with a generous amount of money, though it might take some time to sell everything on the black market.

Alexander's eyes narrow as he regards me with a cold fury. He rises swiftly to his feet, the chair grating harshly against the marble floor. He comes closer, each step a calculated exertion of power. He towers over me, his chest rising and falling with controlled rage, his fists clenched at his sides. The corners of his lips twist into a grimace, baring his teeth in a predatory display.

“Are you insulting me, Princess Seraphina?” he hisses through gritted teeth, standing so close that I can see my reflection in his eyes. "Are you calling me poor?"

If he thinks this will intimidate me, he’s wrong; I've had enough of being pushed around today.

"Look, I don't know all the specifics about your financial situation," I retort. "But everyone knows that after the war, Ironhold didn't exactly recover as Asteria did. I'm just stating facts."

Before I can continue, Alexander chuckles, interrupting me. The fury in his eyes fades, replaced by an amused charm that catches me off guard. "Okay, you're bold, I like it," he says with a smirk. "Then tell me the real reason why you want to marry me."

"Urgh. I've told you, a fake engagement, not that I'd marry you for real," I declare, my voice laced with frustration.

"Why not?" His voice is soft, earnest, and it sends an unexpected shiver down my spine.

I swallow hard, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks. "Because I don't want to," I blurt out.

"Would it be that bad?" His fingers gently intertwine with mine, pulling my hands closer to his chiseled chest. My heart thuds erratically against my ribcage as our proximity becomes almost suffocating.

I try to maintain my resolve, but his touch sends explosive waves through my veins, scattering my thoughts like leaves in a storm. "I... I…," I stammer, my gaze involuntarily flickering down to his mouth, full and inviting.

Alexander wets his lips with his tongue, his breath warm against my cheeks. Suddenly, his lips part slightly and he leans in… wait, is he...?

Is he about to kiss me?!

WHAT THE HEEEEELL!!!!