After his first love died, Duke Cassian despised me for ten years. I tried everything to earn his affection, but he would only sneer. “If you truly wish to please me, Eleonora, you should die.” The words were a dagger in my heart. Yet, when the burning rafters of our manor collapsed, he died saving me. As he lay dying in my arms, he used his last ounce of strength to push my hand away. “Eleonora,” he rasped, “if only I had never met you in this life…” At his funeral, his mother, the Duchess, was inconsolable. “Oh, Cassian, it was my fault. I never should have forced you to marry her. If only I had let you marry Lilliana, would things have been different today?” His father, the old Duke, glared at me with pure hatred. “My son saved your life three times. Why do you bring him nothing but disaster? Why wasn’t it you who died?” Everyone regretted that he had married me. Even I did. In the end, I threw myself from the highest window of the Celestial Spire. And I awoke, ten years in the past. This time, I would sever all ties with Cassian. This time, I would give everyone the ending they wanted. 1 “Eleonora, you truly have a talent for it. Forcing my parents to threaten their own lives to make me marry you. Did you think that by wedding me, you would find happiness?” The deep, cold voice of a young man echoed in my ears. I blinked, my gaze fuzzy, and found myself staring at Cassian. He stood before me, dressed in the striking red tunic of the royal guard, his features sharp and untamed. He was different from the man he would become in ten years. This was Cassian at eighteen. I had truly returned. Swallowing the lump of grief in my throat, I drank in the sight of him. “You don’t want to marry me,” I stated, my voice steadier than I felt. “The one you truly want to marry is Lady Lilliana. Isn’t that right?” Cassian scoffed. “What if it is? Are you going to step aside?” “Yes,” I said, my voice firm. My parents had died as heroes on the battlefield, securing the kingdom’s borders. As a reward, the King had granted me a Royal Writ of marriage—a blank contract I could use to claim any nobleman in the realm as my husband. By the same token, I could use it to request a marriage for someone else. He froze for a second, then laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. “You used the King’s writ to pressure me. My parents are forcing me. Our marriage is set in stone. How, exactly, do you plan to ‘step aside’?” He took a step closer, his eyes burning with contempt. “Eleonora, I have no time for your games of cat and mouse. Take your royal writ and go back to the palace yourself. I will wait for you here.” With that, he turned and leaned against the cold stone of the palace wall. The raw disgust in his eyes was a physical blow. In both my lives, I had loved Cassian for so long. He had saved me twice, risking his own life without hesitation. I had mistaken that for a secret love, and with a joyful heart, I had asked the King to grant us marriage. It was only after his true love died that I understood. He had never loved me. My ten years of devotion had been his ten years of torment. In my past life, I had performed countless acts of charity, bartered my own life force with a Seer, all for the chance to bring him back. Before I was reborn, the Seer had given me a warning. “Within twelve hours of his rebirth, you must resolve his three greatest regrets. Once they are fulfilled, you must leave at once. From then on, you and he will walk separate paths. He will not die at thirty because of you. You will both find your own destinies.” “But rebirth always has a price, my lady. Be certain you are prepared.” As long as Cassian could live, I feared no price. I sought an audience with the King and petitioned him to issue a new Royal Writ, this one for the marriage of Duke Cassian and Lady Lilliana. I knew his three regrets. They were written in a leather-bound journal he kept locked in his study. “I regret marrying Eleonora. I regret not fighting my parents’ wishes. I regret not being able to save Lilliana.” Now, his first regret was fulfilled. I walked out of the palace, the new edict in my hands, and presented it to him. He looked at me with an expression of pure disdain, as if I were a predator who had finally cornered her prey. He reached to unroll the scroll. I gently pressed his hand down. “Wait until tomorrow,” I said, a soft smile on my lips. “There will be a surprise.” He shot me a look. “How tedious. Whether I read it today or tomorrow, it still says I must marry you, doesn’t it? What is wrong with you today? Are you mad with joy at the thought of finally having me?” I was. I was mad with joy. Because I was finally seeing you again, alive. I smiled. “I think you are the best man in the world. Anyone who marries you will be very, very happy.” “Let’s go,” he grunted, turning away so quickly I might have thought he was blushing, if I didn’t know better. Our carriage rumbled back towards his family’s estate. As we passed the bustling Flower Market, I pulled back the curtain and overheard the chatter of young women. “They say the Maiden Star appears tonight! From the top of the Celestial Spire, you can see a meteor shower that only happens once a century! The legend says that any couple who watches it together will be bound by love for three lifetimes!” I remembered hearing those same words in my past life. I had excitedly begged Cassian to take me. He had looked at me with that chilling, mocking glint in his eyes. “Binding me for one lifetime isn’t torment enough for you? You want three?” he’d sneered. “What a foolish, childish legend. If you want to be taken in by such fantasies, do it alone. Don’t drag me into it.” Even now, the memory of that cold glare sent a shiver down my spine. I quietly let the curtain fall. But this time, a calm voice spoke from beside me. “Do you want to go?” I looked up, startled. “I can take you to the Celestial Spire tonight,” he said, his tone flat. “After we are wed, I won’t have time to accompany you to your parents’ memorial. Consider this my apology in advance.” I stared at him, surprised, yet not. This was Cassian. A viper’s tongue, but a heart softer than anyone knew. He didn’t love me, but he had still given his life to save me. Three times. The first time, we were attacked by brigands on the road. He took a knife to his right arm to protect me. The hand that could put an arrow through a coin at a hundred paces could never again draw a bow. The second time, I contracted the Crimson Fever. He scaled the treacherous Dragon’s Tooth peaks to find the rare Ghost Orchid that would save my life, nearly falling to his death in the process. The third time was the Great Fire at the Royal Keep. He died pushing me from the path of a collapsing beam. Cassian was perfect in every way. He just didn’t love me. I knew that after today, we would be strangers. Even if we stood atop the Celestial Spire and watched the meteor shower of a century, the legend would not apply to us. Still, I pushed down the hot moisture welling in my eyes and gave him a smile so bright it felt cheap. “Yes. Let’s go see the stars together.” 2 Our carriage was stopped halfway. It was a servant from Lilliana’s household. She said Lady Lilliana had one of her terrible headaches and wished to see the Duke. Cassian’s brow furrowed, and he immediately swung himself out of the carriage. “Lilliana is unwell. I must go to her. You go on ahead. I will meet you at the Celestial Spire tonight.” I nodded. “Alright.” He looked at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “You used to mind so much when I went to see her. A sudden change of heart?” I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off with a cold laugh. “Of course. We are to be married soon. She poses no threat to you now.” He strode away, not seeing the bitter, sad smile that touched my lips. I had never tried to stop his fondness for her. The only time I had ever interfered was when I discovered she was having an affair with a high-ranking court official. The evidence was irrefutable. I had tried desperately to keep Cassian from getting entangled with her. But he never knew. After she died, he grieved for ten years. If I had to choose, I would rather see him happy with Lilliana than see him suffer and die for me. My first stop was the city magistrate’s office, where I obtained the documents needed to leave the capital. Then, I returned to the ducal estate. The Duchess had prepared a feast herself, the entire table laden with all my favorite dishes. I reflexively slipped off my white fox-fur cloak and draped it over her shoulders. “It’s cold, Your Grace. You must take care of yourself.” She beamed at me. “My sweet girl, you are always so thoughtful. Now, let me see the Royal Writ! I have waited so long to finally call you my daughter.” The old Duke, seeing I had returned alone, bristled. “That boy didn’t accompany you? The edict has been issued, and he still doesn’t know how to cherish you? When he returns, I will give him a stern talking-to!” Their genuine affection was a painful twist in my gut. After my parents’ deaths, they had taken me in, raised me, given me everything. I had always been an obedient daughter. But this time, I had to betray them. I looked at them both, my expression solemn. “Your Graces, I will not be marrying the Duke.” “Tomorrow, I will be leaving for the Southern Marshes. I will no longer be here to serve you. You must take good care of each other.” The Duchess was stunned. “Your parents died on the battlefield. You grew up here. This estate is your home. Where will you go?” Her voice rose with alarm. “Is it Cassian? Did he mistreat you because of that woman? Is that why you’re calling off the wedding?” “Don’t think like that, my dear. He has feelings for you. He wouldn’t have risked his life to save you twice if he didn’t. Every year for your birthday, he spends months searching for the most unique treasures. I know you love him too. You learned to cook for him, you massage his old injury every day to ease the pain. If you two were to marry, you would be so happy!” “Besides, that Lilliana is a wicked woman. We can’t let her win. Don’t leave just to spite him!” She had said the same things to me in my past life. In the end, I lost my husband, and they lost their son. Everyone was left with a lifetime of regret. I gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Your Grace, you cannot force love where it does not grow. I am not the one in Duke Cassian’s heart. I cannot force him to marry me.” “Last night, I had a dream. I dreamt that we were married, but he would not see me. He worked himself to the bone, day and night, until his body was broken. He wouldn’t drink the broth I made for him, wouldn't let me care for him when he was sick. He said the pain I brought him was greater than any happiness. He even died… died at thirty, saving my life.” The words were a physical pain, making it hard to breathe. The Duchess stared at me. “But… but that’s only a dream, my dear. Cassian would never…” I sniffed, forcing a smile. “Your Graces, dreams can be warnings. I want him to live a long life, even if it means he doesn’t marry me, even if we are not husband and wife.” “He is a man of great rank, but he has so little freedom. I believe, at the very least, he should be able to choose who he marries.” I knelt and bowed my head to the floor three times. “I have my travel papers. I beg you, let me go. I will never forget your kindness. I will repay it for the rest of my days.” The old Duke’s lips thinned. He helped me to my feet. The Duchess, wiping her eyes, pressed a thick stack of bank notes into my hand. “If this is what you have decided, my dear, then I will not stand in your way. But you must remember, no matter what happens, this house will always be your home.” Tears finally spilled down my cheeks. I embraced her. “Thank you, Your Grace.” As long as I cut my ties with Cassian, the tragedy of our past life would not repeat itself. He would live a long life. The Duke and Duchess would not be heartbroken, would not grow to hate me. This time, everyone would have a happy ending. The second of Cassian’s regrets was now fulfilled. I had to complete all three within twelve hours. There was still one left. Would I succeed? That night, I went to the Celestial Spire. Couples were everywhere, come to seek a shared destiny from the stars. “Eleonora.” A familiar voice. I turned, my heart leaping, only to see Cassian’s face, dark with fury. He seized my wrist, his grip like iron, his eyes shot through with red. “You know I despise those who abuse their power. I was gone for a few hours, and you ran to my parents, turning them against Lilliana. They shamed her, humiliated her. She tried to take her own life, Eleonora. Are you satisfied now?” 3 My wrist throbbed, the pain sharp and radiating up my arm. The color drained from my face. In my past life, after Cassian and I were married, Lilliana had tried to kill herself a month later by taking a rare blood-curse poison. Cassian couldn’t find a blood match to create the antidote, and he was forced to watch her die. He had hated me for it, right up until the moment he died himself. But in this life, we weren’t getting married. Why would she still do this? I had been wondering how I would fulfill his third regret. And now, the opportunity had delivered itself to me. I looked at him, my voice calm. “So, you’ve come for my blood to make the antidote, haven’t you?” Cassian froze, clearly not expecting those words. His voice turned even colder. “You think I wouldn’t dare? You drove her to this. It is only right that you atone for it.” He dragged me to Lilliana’s residence. She lay on the bed, her breath shallow, her skin ashen. A physician produced a small, sharp dagger and made an incision on my arm. A fine, sharp pain, and I let out a soft gasp. The physician’s eyes lit up. “The curse reacts! My lady, your blood is a match.” He hesitated. “But to save her, we will need to draw blood directly from your heart. I am not certain your body can withstand such a procedure.” “No!” Cassian’s face paled, his brow furrowed. “Taking heart’s blood is nearly fatal. She can’t endure it. Is there no other way?” The physician looked grave. “Other blood will have a minimal effect. If the Duke is unwilling, then you must prepare for the worst. The lady who gives her heart’s blood may not die, but the one afflicted with this curse most certainly will.” Cassian’s jaw tightened, his gaze fixed on Lilliana’s pale form. I saw the anguish in his eyes. I looked at the physician. “I will do it. Take what you need.” “But my lady,” the physician protested, looking to Cassian for a final decision, “it will severely damage your vitality.” I managed a weak smile. “It’s alright. I can recover. Saving her is what’s important.” Cassian stared at me, his eyes a storm of unreadable emotions. Finally, he grimaced, tore a strip of fabric from his own white tunic, and used it to blindfold me. “I will owe you a debt,” he said, his voice a low growl. “I will repay you.” Then he was gone. The physician began the procedure. The blade pierced my skin. With every fraction of an inch it sank deeper, the pain became clearer, more defined. My mind drifted back. I was eight years old, my parents newly dead. The other noble children taunted me, said I had no one to protect me. Cassian had chased them off. He had ruffled my hair. “Don’t be afraid,” he’d said. “I will protect you.” He had kept his word. Even as he was dying, he had protected me. How could I not love him? But I knew, from the moment I was reborn, I had to sever that love, no matter the cost. As the heart’s blood was drawn, a warm trickle of blood escaped my own lips. The pain was a white-hot agony, and I collapsed, the world going dark. In the haze, I heard his last words from our previous life. “Eleonora, if only I had never met you in this life…” Tears streamed from under the blindfold. I smiled a faint, weak smile. “Cassian… this time, I will not chain you to me.” When I awoke, the sun was bright. I was in a guest room next door. A deep, throbbing ache radiated from my chest. I was alone, too weak to move. I glanced out the window. It was nearly noon. The twelve hours were almost up. I had to leave. Outside, I could hear the maids chattering. “Did you see the meteor shower last night? It was once in a century!” “I did! It was so beautiful! They say if lovers watch it together, they’ll be together forever!” Hearing their happy voices, a pang of regret shot through me. What a shame. To have missed something so beautiful. A short while later, the door opened, and Cassian entered, carrying a bowl of soup. It was the rich consommé from the royal kitchens, my favorite as a child. For a dizzying moment, I couldn’t believe he remembered. He looked at me, his voice softer than I had heard it in a decade. “Does your heart still ache? Should I call for the royal physician? She is out of danger, thanks to you.” I nodded. “Good.” Seeing my pale face, his brow remained furrowed. “I was harsh with my words yesterday. Don’t take them to heart. But Lilliana was an innocent party. You shouldn’t have dragged her into our affairs. Don’t go to my parents with tales again.” His words still stung, but I didn’t protest or try to explain myself as I would have in my past life. I just forced a smile. “I won’t. There won’t be a next time.” He tucked the blankets around me. “I’m sorry I couldn’t take you to see the stars last night. After we are wed, I will accompany you on a trip. I remember you always wanted to see the Southern Marshes. We can go there after visiting your parents’ memorial.” I froze, then gave a small, sad smile. “There’s no need.” “You don’t have to compensate me for last night. I chose to save Lady Lilliana myself.” Cassian looked taken aback, a flicker of something new in his eyes. “I have already arranged for the carriage to leave in five days. Once you have rested, we will depart.” I just looked at him, saying nothing. The bowl in his hands seemed to tremble. The old injury to his arm, the one he’d gotten protecting me, always ached in the damp weather. Even now, just holding a bowl was a strain. A wave of sympathy washed over me. “Do you regret it?” I asked, my voice soft. “Getting hurt like that, to save me?” His expression was calm. “There is nothing to regret. I would have saved anyone in that situation.” My heart sank. My voice was barely a whisper. “And when I had the fever? When you climbed the cliffs for the Ghost Orchid? Would you have done that for anyone?” “Yes.” Of course. I was nothing special. Tears welled in my eyes, but I forced a bright smile. “Cassian, thank you. For saving me, again and again.” “I had no parents. I was so desperate for a family. That’s why I forced you to marry me. My selfishness must have caused you so much pain, so much torment.” But not anymore. He wouldn’t have to abandon the woman he loved for me. He wouldn’t have to suffer for ten years. He wouldn’t have to die at thirty. This time, he would be alright. I thought I saw a flicker of panic in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but just then, one of Lilliana’s maids rushed in. “Your Grace! My lady is awake, and she is asking for you! She refuses to eat until she sees you. Please, come quickly!” A genuine smile finally broke through Cassian’s grim expression. He glanced at me and stood to leave. “Wait for me here.” “Cassian,” I called out, stopping him at the door. I gave him the most radiant smile I could muster. “I’m sorry. And… I wish you a lifetime of happiness and peace.” He looked startled, a sense of unease clouding his features. “Why are you talking like this? I am just going to check on Lilliana. I will be right back. Eat something. Wait for me. I have something to tell you.” Then, he turned and left. It was almost noon. I forced myself out of bed. The physician came to check on me and left some medicine. I smiled gratefully. “I will take it, thank you, Doctor. And please, could you give the Duke a message for me? Tell him I have left for the Southern Marshes. Tell him to take care, and not to think of me.” After seeing Lilliana, Cassian rushed back to the guest room. It was empty. He called for a servant. “Where is Lady Eleonora? She is not well enough to be out of bed.” Before the servant could answer, one of his personal guards hurried in, his face grim. “Your Grace, terrible news! There was a brigand attack on the road out of the city. Several travelers were wounded, but there was one fatality—a young woman who had just had her heart’s blood drawn. Her name was Eleonora.”
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