The rustling behind the door continued as she crept closer. She should have strapped her crossbow to herself under her cloak. Maybe they wouldn't have seen it. Whoever they were. She gripped her knife tightly, took a deep breath, and kicked in the door. The room was empty. She went inside to look around, and the door slammed shut behind her. "Hello, Duchess," a sultry feminine voice called out. A woman stepped out from the shadows. A woman who looked an awful lot like Abigail. The only difference was the hair - unlike Abigail - this woman had straight hair. "Kasdeyah," Abigail replied coldly.The sorceress was impressed. "You know my name. I'm honored," she curtsied deeply."I also know you've tried to seduce my husband and steal his power."The sorceress laughed, "To be fair, he wasn't your husband at the time. He was a free man.""He's always been mine," Abigail asserted angrily. "Yes, I learned that very quickly," she replied dryly. "You're a lucky woman. No other man has ever
Abigail sat in the magic room with the magic window and watched her husband and friends walk right into a trap. The room seemed to amplify her feelings and made them strong enough for Grayson to feel. She had been able to warn him, to tell him not to come, and she watched him blatantly not listen."Stubborn man," she muttered to herself.Grayson felt her frustration and looked off in the distance. "I love you," he said softly. "I'm not abandoning you.""Who are you talking to?" Catherine asked. "No one... Abby" "Even if she can't hear you, I know for a fact she knows you love her," Catherine replied. "I hope so," he whispered. "I hate that ouraat conversation was a fight. I should have stopped her."Rose cut in. "They would have found another way to lure you out then," she said matter-of-factly. "Abby being taken may have actually saved a lot of lives."Grayson looked at her oddly. "What?" she replied. "Shh," Catherine cut them off. "Someone is coming." They all stood up, ready fo
The morning before their arrival in Knocklean, Rose found Grayson curled up into a ball, crying in pain. "Grayson! What's wrong?" "She knows we are close. She's hurting Abby." "I'm going to kill her myself if she hurts my sister," Rose growled. Just then, Grayson let out a wail. "She's going to kill her. We need to hurry." The group packed up their things and hurried into Knocklean. As soon as they crossed the border, the rain started, and they were attacked by ghouls. Grayson was still weak from feeling what Abby was feeling, but he managed to hold his own. Suddenly, they were in front of the castle.Aryk blasted the door down again, and they walked into the same empty room as before. "There's blood over here," Thomas said."Abby," Grayson whispered. He held up his hand for the others to be quiet. He had heard a voice calling his name. "Do you hear that?""Hear what?" Aryk asked. "Someone is calling my name.""Grayson, be careful," Rose urged, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We
The screams from both Grayson and Rose could be heard throughout the whole castle. Catherine and Thomas burst into the room, unable to ignore the noise. They saw Abigail lifeless on the table and then took in the rest of the scene. A familiar looking woman stood at the head of the table laughing while Aryk was literally trying to restrain both Grayson and Rose as they lunged at her. The woman looked up as they burst in. "Oh! We have more guests! Wonderful!" Just then, Aryk lost his grip on Rose, and she dashed at the witch. Kasdeyah put up her hand, and Rose froze in place. "Now, now, Lady Rose," she admonished. "Think of how sad your father would be if both of his daughters were dead." She flicked her hand, and Rose bashed against the nearest wall. She lay there for a moment as Catherine dashed up to her to make sure she was alright. Grayson felt the rage and magic flow through him. "You've made a huge mistake," he growled. "Now I have nothing to lose." "That's where you
The others had truly underestimated Kasdeyah and her power. She was stronger than they could have ever imagined, though still not stronger than Grayson. That's why she needed him. With their combined powers, the entire world would have to kneel before them. Before her. She had caused the argument between Grayson and Abigail that had caused her to flee. She had been able to manipulate their emotions slightly, and it had been enough to get what she wanted. As for Abigail, that was an easy illusion. Any body would do, and she had plenty to choose from. A simple illusion to make them look like the Duchess permanently, and voila! she had her own powerful king to do with as she pleased. The Duchess was finally out of her way. Pesky thing. The best part was she got to keep Abigail around and make her watch as Kasdeyah seduced her husband and made him do evil things. Kasdeyah couldn't wait to get Grayson into bed. He had four - almost five - children with his former wife; he must be ama
Grayson didn't look up when he heard the door behind him open. "Hello, my love," Kasdeyah greeted him. "I'm not your love," he said quietly and dangerously. "Oh, but you are..." she drawled. "If you value your children's lives." "You won't touch my children," Grayson said in the same dangerous tone, still not looking his captor. "Do you really think I didn't protect my children?" He finally turned his head. "You've said yourself, I'm powerful. Maybe even more powerful than you." He spoke slowly, dangerously, like he was teasing prey he was about to pounce on. "I'm also not stupid. My children are well protected, no matter where they go." Kasdeyah laughed, trying not to show her uncertainty or annoyance. "Well then, there are other people you care about. Lady Rose, Lord Arthur..." Grayson turned back around. "If you hurt them, I will kill you." Kasdeyah was getting angry. This was not how she pictured their first night to go. "I've already killed your wife and manipulated you.
The duke came running when he heard Rose's screams. "Rose! Honey! What are you saying?"Rose showed him the wig and the note. "It's not Abby, Papa. She's alive."The duke's eyes flashed with hope and anger. "Well, now we have to save them both," was all he said. He looked at the body on the table. "I wonder who this was... they should still be buried properly." Rose agreed.The meeting with the king and queen that afternoon was a hopeful one. Abigail was alive and likely in the same place as Grayson. If he knew she was there, he would keep her safe. She would also do what she could to keep him safe. Now, they just had to figure out a way to get them out of there. The reinforcements they had sent were camped well outside of Knocklean's borders awaiting orders. King Stefan's forces would be joining them soon. The issue right now was not a lack of men. It was a matter of not getting the couple they were trying to save killed.*** Kasdeyah was angry, and she took it out on Abigail. She
Prologue The Princes Dupont and Grayson had never seen the mountains before. They were transfixed by the majesty of the landscape as their carriage entered the Duchy of Lydisia within the country of Alderei. The boys had been staring out of the carriage windows ever since crossing the border out of Eswen. “Sit back and close your mouths!” their father snapped. “You are princes of Eswen, not fish from the Southern Sea!” The boys sat back and put their heads down. “My dear, they are only admiring the scenery,” the Queen attempted to soothe her husband’s nerves. “We don’t have such mountains in Eswen.” “That doesn’t give them the right to forget their status.” The king snapped back, raising his hand and his voice. The Queen bowed her head, while the boys looked on in fear. The king addressed his family coldly, settling back into his seat. He was the only one on that side of carriage. The queen was stuffed in between the two boys on the other cushioned bench. “We must represent roya