Between The Pages (Book #1 of the Dawn and Dusk Chronicles)

Prologue

"Do you honestly think that you would be able to hide her from me forever?" His laughter echoed throughout the dark and hauntingly beautiful halls of his palace. It disgusts me that this was once a place of sanctuary. A place where the most beautiful balls and ceremonies took place to symbolize the unity of the Dawn and Dusk courts and everyone that resided in them. Now it is a place of darkness, where the Shifter of the Dusk has spent the last few hundred years calculating his cold and hateful revenge for what happened to his people, to our people that had turned their backs on us just so they could possess more power.

And now she was gone, safely hidden away where he could not lay his eyes on her until the time was right, until she was powerful enough to stop him and save us all.

"It amazes me that after all these years you honestly believe me to be stupid."
Something between a cough and a snort escaped from me before I could stop it "Stupid isn't the word I would have chosen."
The Shifter slowly turned to face me now. Fire crept into those icy blue eyes of his as if contemplating his next move carefully. There was no humor in the smile that appeared on his face, and for a moment it seemed as if he would kill me right then and there, but I knew better than that. He needed us alive.. For now.
"You know, when I find her, and I will find her, I will make known to her who really caused all of this. Who she has to blame for the knife inside her throat as she tries to scream for help only for the words to escape her as I drain all of that glorious power out of her. And before she leaves the world forever I'll make sure that the last thing she hears is that her pathetic parents are the cause of her death."

I could feel Orian shift his weight next to me now, and I know what he said hit home because under gritted teeth he says "The moment she turns 18 and finds out what has become of her world, I would suggest you gather and army and tell them to be prepared because you have no idea what a full-blooded Phaser can do, especially and angry one. And when she's finished, there won't even be enough left of you for the birds to feast off of."

Another hauntingly cruel laugh escapes from the Shifter as if Orian was his friend and he just cracked a hilarious joke.
"She won't even know how to use her power, no one has ever taught her, and after hiding away for so long I highly doubt she'll even have the strength to try.
She'll be dead the minute she steps foot in Belamour."

That was enough for Orian, he lunged at The Shifter before he could think, and by the time he realized what he had done it was too late because the Shifter's claws were already out and slashing at the attackers face.
Orian fell to the ground and let out a long moan as the blood seeped from the four long claw marks on his face.
I knew that wound would leave a permanent scar as a mark of someone that had disrespected the Shifter. And I also knew that it came with frequent nightmares so that he would be reminded every night who really rules over Belamour.
The Shifter clicked his tongue at Orian as he took a step toward me. "You know "Astraea, you could have followed your husbands directions when you decided to create that crack in the wall. But you just couldn't wait any longer, could you? You just had to attend the Lunarlight ceremony to gather that power. And yet you call me greedy? Because it sounds to me that we are more similar than you realize."

The thought that I would even be considered remotely similar to a disgusting piece of filth like him made my blood boil.
The minute his face was mere inches from mine I gathered enough saliva and spat in his face, causing an inhuman growl to escape from his lips.
His hand was instantly at my throat as the other revealed one long claw inches from my eye. "You know, you could still be of use to me with one eye."
I remained silent
"I would be very careful what you choose to do or say to me from now on if you want to keep all of your body parts."
It took everything in me to hold my head high and stare him down.
After what seemed like forever he looked at the creatures of the dusk and released his grip on me "Take them back to the chamber. I'm finished with them for now." I felt the cold black claws on me in an instant, but I didn't show any sign of fear as I was being led back to my chamber. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing any of my emotions.
"Oh and Astraea." I jerked my head behind to look at the cruel menacing smile staring back at me.

"I'll be sure to send Elara your love."