Three Lives Shattered She Chose the Throne Over Love

I had lived two lives.

In both, I followed Lester Vance into quiet retirement after he hung up his armor, living peacefully, wanting nothing from the world.

And in both, his adopted sister clawed her way into the imperial palace and dragged us down with her. Our house was raided. Our family, executed to the last.

It always started the same way. She would kneel outside our thatched cottage, sobbing that the Emperor had cast her aside, that he'd chosen another woman as his consort.

Lester would set down his hoe and sigh. "You know I can't stand watching you cry."