I Married a Locked Princess, and Her Secret Ruined Our Kingdom

The King's Dark Secret

Before Adrian could demand answers, King Edward’s guards seized them, dragging the newlywed couple to a heavily guarded carriage. They were transported to a remote, crumbling estate deep within the whispering pines of the northern woods. Once locked inside the master bedroom, Adrian immediately set to work. Using a heavy iron key he had slipped from a guard's belt during the scuffle, he unlocked the heavy collar and lifted the wooden barrel from Genevieve’s shoulders.

She collapsed into his arms, weeping hysterically. Adrian gently untied the cruel leather gag from her bruised lips. She coughed, gasping for air, her voice a fragile rasp. "You must run, Adrian," she pleaded, her eyes darting to the heavy oak door. "My father did not lock me away because I am mad. He did it because of what I saw."

"What did you see, Genevieve?" Adrian asked, holding her hands.

Genevieve shuddered, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Five years ago, my mother did not die of an illness. I saw my father pour poison into her evening wine. When I threatened to tell the high council, he locked me in that barrel to ensure I could never speak. And now that you know, he will never let either of us leave this estate alive."

As if on cue, the heavy thud of boots sounded outside. Adrian rushed to the door, but before he could touch the handle, the unmistakable sound of a heavy iron bolt slid into place. They were locked in. Moments later, the acrid smell of smoke began to seep through the floorboards. The King’s guards had set the estate ablaze, intending to burn the secret away forever. Adrian looked around the room in desperation, the flames licking at the bottom of the door.