Two star crossed lovers.
Nations divided by blood and power.
A war to end all others.
She is heir to the brutal Darkling kingdom and daughter to the most vicious king ever known, Vlad the impaler.
He's the Demon prince ru...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I was wide awake before dawn, but I remained staring at the fretwork ceiling, watching the growing light creep between the drapes. My frost-bitten skin savored the softness of the mattress, a small thing I hadn't been forced to share yet, thank the Goddess.
I was usually up and about by first light—though my brothers hissed at me for waking them so early. If I were home, I'd already be busying myself with royal court matters and tutoring, not wasting a moment of precious sunlight. Instead, this bedroom and the palace beyond were silent, the enormous bed foreign and empty. My heart aches and recoils as it misses the pure joy of hearing my brothers' laughter or their annoyance as they tried to keep up with their unruly sister.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I stand before the winteroak mirror, a small smile plastered on my lips. I run a hand down my gown. Shimmering red lace blooms from the neck, washing upon my breast from the deep ruby silk that made up the dress. A black sash covers the waist, forming an inverted peak that separates the bodice from the explosion of skirts beneath. The long sleeves are a reprieve for my cold skin, soft and warm all the way down my arm and ending at the palms. I lift a hand, a clear-crystal ring curled around one of my fingers, to touch the long braid over my shoulder. I don't know what there is planned for me to do today now that I am dressed, but— Skirts rustle from the doorway, and I raise my eyes in the reflection to see Iskra enter behind me.
I tried not to preen—and failed miserably.
"Well, we're certainly up early. I imagined you still in bed, savoring every last second of blissful sleep." My tender-hearted maid says, turning me to face her.
"Who can sleep? It's too quiet. The only thing I could hear all night was the howl of the wind over this insufferable fortress."
"We'll have to get use to it at some point." She offers and fixes the crimson folds of my dress with her good arm before kneeling down to brush the black satin boots under the wave of fabric.
