Special Chapter 2: Arden’s Ship

ARDEN

I often found myself traveling to the Callahan residence whenever I had the chance. Sometimes it was for Cade’s business, sometimes for campaign duties, but honestly, the person I always felt a burst of excitement to see was Honey.

Honey had gotten a lot better since Mr. Winters was arrested. It was like a slow thaw after a long winter. She still wasn’t back to her usual self—her laughter sometimes caught in her throat, and there were moments when words failed her, or when she’d get that faraway look in her eyes. However, she wasn’t regressing anymore. Instead, she was moving forward, step by careful step.

Her speech was getting better too. Doctors had been helping her, not just with her body but with her confidence. And though she wasn’t quite all the way “back,” she was aware of that fact.

With Cade now serving as Praetor, and with no other heir to the North’s throne, the pressure had naturally begun to fall on Honey. She knew it. Everyone knew it. In