He realized what he’d lost, only when it was too late.

Matleon
I killed a man knowing it could ignite a war the world wasn’t ready for. I did it anyway, because I wanted to. And I stopped that same war, because I wanted peace.
There’s nothing I desire that doesn’t end up in my hands.
And there’s nothing I desire more than Iselyn Mikhailov.
She hates me. She wants distance. But staying away from her is the one thing I’ll never do.

Iselyn
I first saw him when I was twelve, and in that moment I decided I would marry him someday—a foolish, hopeful dream of a little girl. But who would have thought the prince of the underworld would actually make it come true?
I don’t want this marriage. I don’t even want to see him.
I gave him my heart far too young, built my most innocent dreams around him, only for him to shatter it without looking back.
I will never love Matleon again. Not after what he did.