Chapter 2: The Wedding That Wasn’t

Then, two weeks ago, I got a letter from her…

She said she was getting married, and her chosen fiancé was the eldest son of the Chandler family from Silver Hollow—Chris Chandler, of all people.

Excited, I packed up to return to the city for her wedding feast.

I bought a new dress, picked out a ridiculous hat, and even convinced Carter to come with me. I imagined the city decked out in flowers, the Whitlock mansion glowing with lights. I let myself believe in the fairytale—until it all unraveled.

But before I even arrived, word came that the wedding was off—and the Grand Matriarch had vanished.

The news hit me like a punch to the gut. My breath caught, and for a second I thought I might be sick. The estate staff whispered behind closed doors, and Carter’s jaw tightened. I barely slept on the journey back, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

Now, as the city walls bristled with guards and sharpshooters, the gates swung open and a general led security out to meet us.

The city looked different—colder, more hostile. The air sizzled with tension, every sound amplified. Carter’s hand hovered near his sidearm, and I could feel my own pulse thundering in my ears.

Miss, one last thing—staying alive is the smart play.

I almost laughed. That was a line I’d used on him a hundred times. It was how I’d tricked this descendant of a legendary general into staying on my estate to help me look after horses.

But now…

I remembered what Evelyn had said when she first arrived: "If you see suffering and disaster, and you have no power, so be it. But if you have people in your hands, you have to fight."

Her words echoed in my mind, louder than the city’s sirens. I realized then that I couldn’t run anymore—not when everything she’d built was at stake.

Now, with Evelyn’s fate unknown and loyal riders at my command, I had to fight.

Carter watched me anxiously, waiting for my decision.

I said, "Whether Evelyn is dead or alive, I need to see it with my own eyes."

You’ve really strung me along, Lila…

But I didn’t order an attack on the city gates.

Since they wouldn’t let me bring my ‘boyfriends’ into the city, I turned my horse around.

The closest city defense was the West End Barracks—twenty thousand troops, mostly infantry and armored vehicles. But I’d brought only battle-hardened cavalry, men and women who’d seen more than their fair share of trouble.