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Chapter One

A devilish sort ofin the tiny land outside Ilusia… the dank, insipid air see nostrils, and life from a desperate spirit

Eighteenth birthdays are not always spent in such a vapid wasteland—especially in a landscape as fragrantly lush as this one But then, hteen do not have their lives capriciously twisted by scoundrel knights and blackguard kin; without warning, their youth turned sour for ancient customs conceived by restless, fearful minds

In this sad business, Sir Malcol foremost to escape assimilation and loss of title at the fist and sword of a hteous country His precarious position on the borderlands of Ilusia hadto capitulate to terms no uts of this disjoined piece of earth require nothing less than submission to the Lords of Ilusia

On the eve of his daughter Charlotte’s birthday, when the noblereat h the countryside—no one raised their fist in anger, dreord to stop their pilgrie, or even lifted an eyebrow in disdain This was sieneration of disenfranchised souls—time doesn’t cease, nor does tradition As the party made its way to Castile’s ainst the rocks; their ht; and their children played gah the dust Only a few young maids—with more reason than others to take note of this curious rite—tittered with their friends about the fate of their noble sister Soloith deep-seated envy; others quaked in fear; and still others spoke with a bit of defiance on their lips, as though they h to taunt their unwelcome invaders

“Ah, Charlotte! You look so pretty today!” Sir Malcolm Castile declared His face was flushed with pride and excitement—and just a trace of dread But he harbored his fears well and none would show in front of his unknowing daughter

“You say we have visitors?” she inquired, as she ran a brush through her splendid locks of flaxen hair Her e a pinkish complexion often prone to burn in the sun Simply lustrous now, her skin, her cheeks, her whole body seeenerous love Charlotte Castile was a fully fore—all the better, her doting father decided

“Yes, uests will show themselves shortly in my private chambers”

“There, sir?”

“Yes, you will greet them with a curtsy and a polite demeanor”

“Of course, Father” She looked on hi overt crossed his brow that would give away his worry But eighteen years coddled in this house by an indulgent parent had taught her a good deal about the man’s subtle moods She knew she was her father’s favorite of his six children—though the reason had never been explained She could be headstrong and inte and willful twin of her deceased mother While her sisters Lara, Co of their father’s melancholy, Charlotte played upon his fascination with her likeness to his dead Miriam

What a great gift Charlotte had been! What a prize to savor eighteen years! And what a handso prince of Ilusia! Mountbane would raise his glass in tribute seeing what beauteous perfection he’d won Would there be favors for Castile’s ss were never so safe as noith his daughter about to storreat Lord’s holdings hers, and so his—Sir Malcolm Castile’s What victory! What a small price for peace!

“But why, Father, would we greet these gentlemen in private?”

“A private matter that will soon be public”

“And what is that?” her curiosity peaked along with her inquisitive brows Her pink lips showed just half a shtful one as her intuition attempted to discern the truth

“Your rin