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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It was agony to wake up.
Every muscle ached, every joint was stiff, and my toes were numb. The hard, cold cave floor bit into my hip painfully, even through my bedroll.
The last thing I wanted to do was get up and face the day. After everything that happened last night, Caleb would not only speak to me, but wouldn't even look at me. It stung, but his unspoken words hurt more.
Groaning a little, I forced myself to sit up. The cave was dim, but I could see a hint of the sunrise that was to come, dusting the sky with a pale pink and peach.
Celeste slept next to me, her form glowing with ethereal light, wrapped only in one blanket. I tried to give her my extra blankets, but she told me the cold did not effect her, only the energy it took to maintain her form. She looked better than I'd seen her these past three days.
Caleb slept on the far side of the cave, the further away from me, with his back against the wall. It had to be uncomfortable, but he refused to come closer.
My heart ached when I looked at him, so I picked myself up, wrapped up in a blanket, and left the cave.
The snow had stopped in the night, covering the mountains in a sparkling, clean blanket of white snow. The air was thin and hurt to breathe, but it was crisp and refreshing. It fogged the air in clouds as I crunched through the fresh snow to the ledge overlooking the mountain side, watching as the sun rose over a peak.
It was beautiful and breathtaking.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
The pieces of my heart fluttered, but I refused to turn around and look at Caleb.
"Breathtaking." I agreed, expecting Caleb to stand next to me on the ledge.
But he didn't. He stayed behind me, so close that all I could do was take a step back and I'd be in his embrace. The distance was driving me mad.
Caleb cleared his throat and my heart leaped, "Lilac, I need to apologize for last night."
The hopeful pieces of my heart shattered again.
"It's fine," I said, "You were right. Nothing could happen between us. It was foolish." I allowed the ice settle over my heart and emotions, as the alternative hurt far too much.
Caleb sighed, but he said nothing else. We watched in silence as the dawn broke over the peak, dazzling in pinks, oranges, and peaches.
My eyes widen as a realization washed over me like the dawn.
"That's it!" I murmured, taking a couple steps forward towards the edge of the cliff.
