As Jasper's lips left Luna's, he gazed into her radiant eyes. Their tender moment hung suspended, like fireflies in the evening air.
Jasper's gaze lingered on Luna's shoulder, his thoughts still wrapped in the kiss.
That's when he saw her.
The Queen stood in the shadows, her piercing stare boring into Jasper's soul.
Her elegant figure seemed chiseled from the night itself, her face a mask of disapproval.
Jasper's awareness of his stepmother's presence spark some possessiveness and he instinctively pulled Luna closer, his arms wrapping tightly.
The Queen's eyes narrowed, her face twisted in disdain. Luna melted into his embrace, oblivious to the tension.
The Queen's presence remained hidden, but Jasper sensed her anger.
The Queen's eyes blazed with fury, her gaze fixed on Jasper and Luna. Her meticulously laid plans unraveled before her eyes.
Crown Prince Erik ,her biological son, was meant to marry Luna. The union would solidify their family's grip on the throne. But Jasper, her stepson, threatened to upend everything.
Queen Adriana had long manipulated the throne. The union between Erik and Luna's elite family would cement Erik's claim on the throne.
Luna's family, influential and wealthy, would secure his claim.But Jasper's unexpected involvement with Luna upended everything.
Erik, indulged in lavish excesses and was more interested in courtesans than statecraft, that was something she would deal with later, for now, he could have all the fun he wanted.
Erik, oblivious to his mother's machinations, reveled in his decadent lifestyle. Adriana's position in the King's court depended on her son's coronation.
With Jasper out of the way, nothing would stand between her son's lifetime of happiness.
The Queen's anger simmered, a cauldron ready to boil.
How dare Jasper defy her?
Didn't he know his place?
The Queen's thoughts turned venomous. Jasper was a constant reminder of her husband's infidelity.
A stepson who had always been a thorn in her side. Now, he dared to jeopardize her son's future.
The Queen's gaze lingered on Jasper's embracing figure.
A calculating glint sparkled in her eye. She would not be thwarted. A plan began to form, sinister and ruthless.
YOU ARE READING
Hollow Grounds
General FictionIt explores the lives of Jasper Quinn and Luna Hemmet as they strive to set things straight in their lives. They embark on an adventurous journey to discover themselves. Can they say no to their pending marriage? A sneak peak : Luna's lips brush aga...
