NOVEL NEXT 
Clara never wanted the crown. She never wanted anything, really, except quiet mornings in the garden and long walks with her sister, Celia. But when the ancient scepter glows in her presence, marking her as the next ruler, the life she knew vanishes overnight.
Now, in a palace full of whispers and knives, Clara must rely on her instincts, her sister, and a fiercely loyal guard named Lue to survive the storm ahead. Because in a family where love is rare and ambition is deadly, being chosen is both a blessing—and a curse.