Love Beyond the palace

: A Life

ted this for you. I never wanted you to be unhappy." Amada felt a surge of anger, but she knew it wasn't her mother's fault. The queen had been trapped in her own loveless marriage, forced to endure the cruelty of Amada's father, the king. As the queen held her, Amada felt a sense of comfort wash over her. For the first time in months, she felt like she wasn't alone. But the comfort was short-lived. Prince Ryker burst into the room, his face twisted in anger. "What's going on here?" he demanded, his voice dripping with venom. The queen stood up, facing Prince Ryker. "I was just trying to comfort my daughter," she said, her voice firm. Prince Ryker sneered at her. "You're just making excuses for her," he said. "She's a weak, pathetic woman, and she needs to be taught a lesson." Amada felt a surge of fear as Prince Ryker turned to her. She knew what was coming, and she knew she couldn't escape it. As the queen watched in horror, Prince Ryker raised his hand and struck Amada across the face. She felt a searing pain, and her world went dark. When Amada came to, she was lying on the bed, her head throbbing with pain. The queen was sitting beside her, holding her hand. "I'm so sorry, Amada," the queen said, tears streaming down her face. "I should have protected you. I should have kept you safe." Amada tried to speak, but her voice was barely a whisper. She knew she ha