The arena had gone completely silent. Thousands of nobles watched as the royal war horses bowed their heads toward the poor stable boy. Prince Damian’s smile disappeared instantly. “That’s impossible,” he whispered. But the king looked frozen. Not confused. Afraid. Because the royal horses were trained from birth to recognize only one bloodline. The first kings of Valoria. I stepped backward nervously as another horse lowered itself beside me. The crowd began whispering loudly now. The old royal trainer suddenly dropped to one knee. Gasps spread across the arena. “Your Majesty…” he whispered shakily. “I’ve only seen this once before.” The king slowly descended from the royal platform without answering. His eyes stayed locked on me the entire time. Then he stopped directly in front of me and noticed something beneath my collar. A chain. Old silver. The king’s face lost all color. “Where did you get that necklace?” My hands trembled as I touched it. “My mother gave it to me before she died.” The king carefully lifted the pendant. And the moment the royal crest became visible— the queen gasped. Because engraved into the silver was the symbol of Prince Alexander— the king’s eldest son who vanished during the palace rebellion sixteen years earlier. The prince everyone believed died in the fire. Prince Damian stepped backward immediately. “No…” But the old royal advisor looked directly at me with tears forming in his eyes. “The eyes,” he whispered. “He has his father’s eyes.” The arena erupted into chaos. Because the stable boy mocked by the entire palace— might actually be the true heir to the throne.