Description:
Within these pages lie kingdoms with castles and princes who fall in love with fair maidens, but make no mistake−this is no fairytale.
His father’s kingdom is on the brink of upheaval and at the center of it all is an ordinary girl who could be the key to its undoing. When faced with the ultimate choice, will he choose the girl he’s falling in love with or the kingdom he has sworn to protect?
An ordinary girl with an extraordinary past. All she wants is to be free. What she doesn’t realize is that freedom comes with a price she can’t afford to pay. She’s forced to accept the proposal of a prince she despises, even though her heart belongs to someone else . . . his brother.
Seventeen-year-old Rema lives in a brutal kingdom where travel between regions is forbidden, people are starving, and looking at someone the wrong way can mean death. Nineteen-year-old Darmik is the king’s son and Commander of the King’s Army. He spends his days roving the island, doing his father’s bidding and trying to maintain control over the people.
When a chance encounter throws Rema and Darmik together, they share an instantaneous connection, but any sort of relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Darmik’s brother, the Crown Prince, notices Darmik’s interest in Rema and, in a calculated, political move, blackmails her. Faced with an impossible choice, Rema is forced to sacrifice her heart in order to save her family.
As Rema is taken to the palace with the Crown Prince, Darmik confronts the growing rumor that a legitimate blood heir to the throne exists and is trying to overthrow Darmik’s family. In Darmik’s quest to hunt down and kill the threat, he discovers that nothing is as it seems. Locked in the king’s castle, Rema finds herself a key player in a massive power struggle. When Darmik shows up, she’s not sure if she can trust him. The line between friends, enemies, and loyalty becomes blurred. As truths are unlocked, Rema understands that she just might be the key to finding the rightful heir and restoring peace to the kingdom… if she can manage to stay alive long enough.
EXCERPT:
“Where are we
going?” Rema asked, glancing behind her toward the rest of their riding party.
“Just
over this rise.” Darmik left the path, leading the way up the hill.
The
leafy ground turned to slippery rocks. Darmik offered Rema his hand, but she
refused his help. He remembered finding her alone in the forest, and he
realized he knew nothing about her—yet he wanted to know everything.
When
they reached the top of the hill, he saw what he was looking for.
“A
silent waterfall,” Rema gasped. She stood next to him, amazement clear on her
face.
On
the hill opposite them, water cascaded along tendrils of mossy grass growing
from the rocks. It slipped down the soft, green padding until it reached the
pool below.
There
were a million questions Darmik wanted to ask, but he had no idea where to
begin. He rarely did anything on impulse. Looking at Rema’s face, her
penetrating eyes, he decided not to think. Pulling off his boots and socks,
Darmik threw them on the ground. He unclasped his riding cape and removed his
tunic, leaving on his long sleeve shirt and pants.
He
ran and jumped, knowing he’d make it to the water below. The pool was in fact
quite deep. When he and Lennek were younger, they used to dare each other to
jump. But unlike Lennek, who was always taking chances, Darmik wouldn’t jump
until he checked the pool to make sure it was deep enough. Only then, did he
follow Lennek with a giant leap.
Hitting
the cold water, Darmik cringed, welcoming the feeling of losing control and the
freedom that came with it. Kicking, he swam to the top, broke the surface, and
took in a deep breath.
A splash hit him in the face. A
moment later, Rema surfaced wearing a huge smile. “Now that was fun!”
Swimming
over to the edge, Darmik pulled himself out. The bank was mostly moss covered
rocks that were slippery and difficult to maneuver on. He turned around to help
Rema, but she was already hoisting herself onto the shore. She looked like the
first time he had seen her—soaking wet and happy.
There
was a small patch of sun on a large, dry rock big enough for the two of them to
sit next to each other. Darmik carefully climbed over and lifted himself up
onto it. The rock was warm from the sun’s heat. Rema stood at the bottom with
her hands on her hips like she was trying to figure out a way to join him.
Darmik rolled onto his stomach and lowered his arms. She grabbed onto him, her
grip strong. He pulled her to his side and released her.
Once
she was safely on the rock, they stretched out on their backs, basking in the
warmth. Darmik tried his hardest not to look at her. Rema was only wearing her
white underdress. It would’ve been too difficult to swim wearing all of her
clothes. Still, he didn’t want to be caught staring and offend her in any way.
Yet, her body was like a magnet pulling his eyes in her direction.
Unable
to resist any longer, Darmik peered at her. Rema was smiling with her eyes
closed, looking peaceful and content. Her white underdress clung to her ribcage
and wrapped around her legs. Her chest rose and fell with each breath she took.
Goose bumps covered her arms. Her hair lay above her head like a halo.
Something shiny
caught in the light. A delicate gold chain hung around Rema’s neck. Strung on
the chain, lying on the rock near her ear, was a gold skeleton key. Embedded in
the bow was a heart-shaped ruby diamond. The jewelry was befitting of a queen
or princess. Rubies were not only extremely rare, but they cost a fortune. Did
Lennek give her the necklace?
Darmik
glanced to the top of the cliff from which they had jumped. No one was about.
He hoped to conceal the entire outing, but it was vital Lennek never learn
Darmik spent this time alone with Rema on this rock, unsupervised. It was
illegal and his brother would punish him with the full force of the law.
There
was a soft rustle as Rema’s head turned toward him.
“How
did you end up here? Engaged to my brother?” He forced his eyes to remain on
hers—away from her body. It was easier to pretend she was fully clothed, dry,
and certainly not a mere six inches away from him, their hands lying
side-by-side, almost touching.
“I
was hoping you knew the answer to that one,” she whispered, droplets of water
glistening on her eyelashes.
His
suspicions were confirmed—she didn’t choose Lennek. That meant she didn’t love
him. But why was she wearing his necklace? “My brother and I aren’t close like
that. He doesn’t share his plans or his feelings with me,” Darmik said.
“He
has feelings? Really?” She laughed and looked away.
Most women were
blinded by Lennek’s charm and position as prince. But Rema seemed to know the
real Lennek. A selfish and cruel man. Had Lennek hurt her? She flinched earlier
when Darmik had offered her his hand. Usually women only acted like that if
they have been hit or beaten by a man. His fingers curled into a fist. She knew
who Lennek truly was because he had revealed his true nature to her. What game
was his brother playing? What kind of horrors had Rema seen?
About the author:
Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she finally married her best friend and high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity.
Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she finally married her best friend and high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity.
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1 comment:
These are the stories that can tear a kingdom apart. Sibling rivalry over the girls, who can out do who. So many conflicts but they do make great stories.
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