Chapter 193
Annalise
I had expected fire.
Fury.
Chains, maybe. Judgment for sure.
But instead… I found warmth.
The palace I once walked through in secret now felt like a haven, one I was allowed to exist in—not as a prisoner or a trespasser, but as someone who mattered.
I had braced myself for scorn in the silence, cruelty hidden behind tight smiles and calculated civility. I’d imagined cold glares from the guards, whispers among the servants, Helen being the only one to shield me. But that was not the world I stepped into after the Underworld collapsed behind me.
Instead, they cared.
Everyone.
The guards stationed outside my room made sure to not just stand post, but ask if I needed fresh air, if I wanted anything from the gardens.
The maids woke me gently each morning, brought
