They slept for several hours, Grayson holding his wife as tightly as he could. The sound of banging woke them up. Kasdeyah was trying to get out. "She's going to get out, Gray," Abby whispered."I'll kill her first," he growled. "I want to help you," Abigail said firmly. "She tortured me, she killed our baby, she tried to steal you from me..." She looked up angrily. "I want my revenge.""Okay, Wildflower," he said, taking her hand. "We will do it together." Just then, they heard a loud crash and a horrible scream. "Now you've done it, my love, my king," she shouted. "I'm going to have to punish you." Her voice was getting closer. Abigail and Grayson snuck out of the room and down the corridor to the throne room. "I didn't want to do it this way," Kasdeyah called after them,"but you leave me no choice. I'm just going to have to wipe your memory." She cackled. Abigail gasped, "Grayson, you need to get out of here. I'll take care of her.""Absolutely not," he said. "If she wipes yo
"I wish I could remember you," Abigail said sadly that evening in their chambers. "You will, sweetheart," Grayson assured her. "You will." "I... um... I know we are married... but I don't think I feel comfortable just yet sharing a bed with you." She looked up and saw his eyes were full of pain. "I can... I can go stay with the children?" "No, Abby," he said sadly. "I'll go." "No. I don't want to kick you out of your own room." "This is your room, Abby," he managed, swallowing back tears. "It was your room long before it became ours." "Still..." she said guiltily. "I'm the stranger here." "You're not a stranger!" he exclaimed. "This is your home. You remember your father and Rose... why can't you remember me?" he asked sadly. "We've been together since we were five." "Five?!" "Yes," he said, walking over to her. "We were betrothed at age five. We were best friends until we were 14. I told you I loved you then, and you loved me, too." A tear escaped, and he wiped it away furio
He woke up holding her, this woman who was the source of so many of his memories who now had no memory of him. Still, she had kissed him last night after letting him share her bed. Maybe all was not lost. He stared at her as the morning sun crept over her face. He couldn't help himself, and he kissed her forehead. She opened her eyes then, and the momentary panic in them caused him so much pain. It was only a moment, though, before she looked at him and smiled. "Good morning, husband," she blushed. The smile he gave her made her heart race. She could see why she fell for him the first time. "Good morning, wife," he replied. "I'm sorry for waking you." She smiled, "There are definitely worse ways to wake up." She snuggled up to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. "I wish I remembered you... you smell nice. Familiar. Homey." That gave him an idea. "Let's go to Lydisia," he said, pulling back to look at her. "We can go to where we first met, and then we can go home to Odel.
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
**8 years later**“Father hates me,” Grayson cried to his older brother. “Father does not hate you,” Dupont attempted to reassure his little brother. “He does! He beat me again today for playing sorcerer!” Grayson lifted his shirt and showed Dupont the fresh marks from his father’s switch. Dupont flinched, involuntarily. He had never felt his father’s anger physically. “He says I will bring down the Demon King on my own head!” Dupont stroked his brother’s hair. “You know how Father feels about magic, Gray.” “I know. I wasn’t even playing sorcerer, though, “ he explained. “I was singing and just swinging a stick around.” “I will talk to Father,” Dupont said, determination in his eyes. He was 16 now. He had stood by long enough while his father beat Grayson for every slight, real or imagined. If he was to be a great king someday, he had to learn to stand up to injustice, even within his own family. “Please be careful, Duey,” Grayson pleaded. “I don’t want Father to turn on you, too
**4 years later** Abigail Alderei Castle had been a buzz for weeks with the expected arrival of the Prince and his family. The staff had gone all out – pruning the already immaculate gardens that surrounded the castle, mending the fences around the orchards, airing out and hanging the best tapestries. There was to be a reception in the entrance chamber upon their arrival, followed by a dinner in the Great Hall. As this would be their first visit to Alderei Castle, the queen wanted the grand estate to look its best. She wanted her daughter to be on her best behavior. She was not happy earlier that day, when said daughter was brought back to the castle, dirty and scratched up, having fallen out of a tree in an attempt to escape the impending wedding. Later that evening, I fixed my dress as I waited for the arrival of Prince Grayson of Eswen, who I had not seen in four years. Queen Sarah was currently running around the richly decorated hall nitpicking everything the servants did. I
Grayson “Mother, do I have to go through with this?” I asked quietly so Father would not hear me. He had already lectured me the whole way here, I was afraid he would get physical if he heard my complaint. It wouldn’t be the first time. My mother raised an eyebrow. “Are you questioning your father’s judgement, my love?” She adjusted the veil covering the lower half of her face to hide my father’s latest “correction.” “No, Mother,” I replied without hesitation. “I just wish I had more time to meet and get to know my bride… maybe find out if we are compatible. Maybe fall in love,” I mumbled the last part. I had grown up listening to the fairy tales my grandmother used to tell me. Even though my parents hadn’t married for love, I knew it happened. Queen Sarah and King Marcus had reportedly been a love match. They met on the battlefield, in fact, defending Alderei from Godfrey, the country to the north. She was the daughter of the previous King, Patryk, and Marcus was the son of an E
Abigail King Hayden’s comments about my father only believing women to be equal because he had no sons bothered me. I knew it wasn’t true – my father had always loved us deeply and treated us well, and women were treated as equals in Alderei. I knew it wasn’t that way everywhere, but I didn’t remember this side of the king. “I wonder what the queen was thinking when she agreed to the betrothal,” Rose muttered, as if reading my mind. “Alliances and security, most likely,” I replied, just loud enough for my sister to hear. “It was 14 years ago. Let’s hope the prince has remained more charming than his father.” Rose poked me in the ribs. “You and the prince seemed to be very taken with each other. He didn’t want to let you go once he hugged you.” I blushed, but poked Rose back, and she giggled. “We’ve always been friends,” I countered, then admitted, “He has grown to be very handsome…” “You can have him then,” Cat said, walking up to us. “Did you hear what his father said to me ab