Asher's POV

I sat in my room, staring out the window, lost in thought. The walls of the palace always felt like they were closing in on me, but today it was worse. I had been avoiding Father all morning, knowing full well what was coming. His disapproval always hung in the air like a storm cloud, ready to rain down on us at the slightest mistake. And today, I made a big one.

A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts. My heart sank. I knew it was him before he even walked in. Father ...