****Copyrighted**** 'Tell me you don't feel it.' He whispered against my lips, and the trembling that had ceased at the feel of his lips against mine began again with renewed vigor. 'Tell me it's not what you want, and I'll go. You'll never have to see me again.' Swallowing, I looked up at the eyes that had entranced me from the start. I took in his every feature, slowly and deliberately. I thrilled at the feeling of his arms enfolding me, and I inhaled his familiar scent with a trembling breath. And then, then I did the most foolish thing imaginable: I flung my arms about his neck and kissed him with all that I had, almost losing myself in the safety and security I felt. But more than that, I ran. I took his moment of shock, the slight loosing of his arms about me, and tore myself away from him, shoving out the door and into the rain. I suppose I'll never know why he didn't follow me. It was the thing I feared most. I knew that if he came for me a second time, I wouldn't be able to say 'no'. I wouldn't be able to run. But I had to. I had to go. I couldn't let him be hurt because of me. He would live on now, and I would marry another. I had leased my last bit of passion in that one moment in his arms, and as I made my way through the dark streets, I felt myself become dull and lost like the creatures bound in the menagerie. **Much of this was written when I was younger and then I came back later and finished it. There will likely be mistakes. Lots of them.

Forced into an engagement with a man she doesn't love, Reyna must ignore her bond with her father's general in order to avoid a war and save her throne. ***** As the first female heir to one of the great Northern Kingdoms, Reyna panics when her claim to the throne is threatened by the discovery that her father's general is her soulbound partner. She forces herself to ignore their connection, determined to be more than a general's wife, only for her father to manipulate her into a political engagement with a man she could never love. So to forge her own path forward, keep her throne, and confront her feelings for the general who owns her heart, Reyna must find a way to refuse this arranged marriage without destroying her kingdom in the process. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]] ---------- Cover designed by Ren Tachibana

Island Legends Book 2 Island Legends is an epic fantasy adventure series set in a galaxy reeling from devastating wars, filled with countless alien species, a rich history of powerful magical forces and the interventions of many gods and dangerous spirits and demons constantly at war. Among its many influences are the grand operatic adventures of the Star Wars universe, the ensemble cast of desperate heroes of a Final Fantasy game, and the long and all-important journey of The Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time series. It also has influences of a serial television series, where we learn more of the characters as the progressively complex story develops, with new characters being introduced along the way. ________________________ James Island has begun his journey away from his hometown, accompanied by the bewildering and troubled Evan Goodheart, and his mysterious ex-colleague Sam Hawkings. Their journey takes them farther across Medropon as they search for clues to a hidden army being formed, made up of abducted people from all over the galaxy. Evan Goodheart continues his mission to restore peace to his troubled homeworld. Sam Hawkings is tasked with training James Island to become the soldier he once was, while revealing more to James about his unknown past. James struggles to be the hero everyone expects him to be, while discovering more about himself and deciding what kind of a person he will be, or if he can ever go back to who he was. #3 in Fantasy #2 in Sciencefiction #4 in Scifi #2 in Adventure