In a land of magic on the brink of war, three stories are fated to meet.
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Lilac is being forced into a marriage she never wanted, for the benefit of her kingdom.
Lily is trapped in a life of servitude and endless poverty after her mother dies...
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An insistent knocking woke me late in the night a few days after I told Capar who the spy was. Still half asleep, I got up from my bed, wrapped my dressing robe around my body, and hurried over to the door.
"All right!" I said, pulling it open, "Stop your knocking, I'm here."
I frowned when I saw who it was, "Evander? What on earth are you doing here so late?"
He was extremely agitated, pulling his fingers through his hair and pacing. He said nothing to me, just barged into my chamber and paced the floor.
I rolled my eyes, yawned, and closed the door behind me. Something really must've bothered him if he was here this late.
"Brother, if you wish to talk, talk, for I am far too tired to have much of an intelligent conversation." I told him amidst a large yawn, "what could possibly be wrong?"
"Lilac!" He growled out, like that was going to explain everything.
"What about her?" I asked shortly. I just wanted to go back to bed.
Evander pulled at his hair in frustration, "Everything! Just... all of it. She's clever and smart as a whip, and her eyes... and smile..."
Ah, so that was what this was about. Evander, it seemed, was falling in love with Lilac.
If she even was Lilac.
I only met Lilac once in my life, on a diplomatic visit to this kingdom many years ago. I was only a child, but I remembered meeting Lilac.
And I distinctly remembered her eyes being a smoky indigo.
Not blue.
Either my memory was wrong, or Lilac wasn't Lilac.
I couldn't help but laugh at my brother, who was still pacing my room.
He stopped abruptly, "You think this is funny?"
I bit my lip to stop from laughing harder, "No, no. I just... why is this a bad thing?"
"I don't know!" He growled out.
I crossed my arms, "Evander. It's simple. You are marrying Lilac in ten days. Marrying. You want to fall in love with her. It's only been three days and already you're starting to feel this way?" I whistled, "Imagine how you'll feel on the wedding day."
Evander exhaled harshly, "I know, I know."
"Then why are you bothered by this?" Then it dawned on me and I grinned, "Oh. Oh! I understand now."
The look on his face was priceless, "You do?"
I started to snicker, "This is the first time you've been in love! Aha! You don't want to admit it. Oh, this is too good."
