Our procession moved in silence. Everyone seems to understand that a wedding during war is a joyless affair. Although the war has raged for generations, the new king of our enemy has made it worse.To be the darkest of those already living in the shadows, it made my skin crawl to think of the blood on his hands. Deep in the north, the shadow elves plotted against my father's kingdom. And after the death of their last monarch on the battlefield, his heir was carving a path of carnage through the land.Even now we were far too close to the border with the north than I had ever been in my entire life. As a princess of Mithra, I had spent my entire life in the kingdom of Sunlight, Galad. But now that things were desperate, my father was sending me to marry a Mithran Duke whose army we desperately needed to turn the tides of war.Here I was riding in a gilded carriage that might as well have been a pretty cage, sitting in silence with two handmaidens who spent the time on needlework. The y

"Well, what do I see here?" A deep and sensual voice questioned from beneath that dark helmet. He took a step forward and I clambered back on my elbows as if I stood a chance at getting away. "Is this a little sun elf royal I've caught?"The tone of his voice sent my blood boiling. As if he was a predator mocking his prey. Despite the fear wracking my nerves I managed to scrunch up my face into a sneer at him. It was harder for me to see in the dark but I'm sure the Shadow King could see me perfectly in the moonlight.He sheathed his sword and crouched to the ground at my feet. I wanted to kick him, but my body was now frozen with fear and a cold sweat formed on my skin. "Now I wonder, what it is a little thing like you is doing this close to the border? Don't you know there are monsters out here?"The growl in his voice mocked me and my heart dropped through my chest like it wanted to leave my body. "You're the monster!" I spat back."Hmm, a feisty one," his gloved hand reached out f

I have screamed myself hoarse ever since my eyes fall on the king of darkness, however there is no one else out here. We're not close enough to any Mithran village for anyone to come to my aid. All of my soldiers and handmaidens are gone, and it might still be a few days before Ayden realizes my entourage is late for our wedding.Now we moved in silence with nothing but the sound of hooves on dirt between us. Owls hooted in the distance and every so often some creature could be heard shuffling too close for comfort along the edges of the woods.Something about the ominous and oppressive presence around the shadow king and his dark horse seemed to keep more of those night creatures like the ghoulcat at bay. But I never doubted for a moment that they were there.It seemed sheer force of will was the only thing keeping my worn-out feet moving. Every part of my body was screaming in agony, each step aching more than the last."Ah!" I cried out as something jutting out in the road caused m

Those words haunted my dreams along with the images of blood and monsters with gnashing teeth. My world had flipped upside down and as I awoke while the sun was rising my mind was spinning in a sickening manner.My mouth was as dry as cotton and I felt as stiff as a log after sleeping outside in the cold for a handful of hours. But the streams of light filtering in through the gaps in the trees and over my face were bringing me back to myself.Several deep breaths in my waking moments aided in slowing my racing heart and scattered thoughts. Though when my arm bumped against one that was warm and solid it reminded me that my enemy was ling at my side.Ever so slowly I turned my head and noted that Caliban was still dead asleep, his head turned in the opposite direction, but his breathing was slow and heavy. Bumping him didn't seem to rouse him from his sleep at all and I briefly wondered just how tired he had been.I'm sure he was more used to sleeping out under the stars if he was run

We moved at a steady pace on the smooth ground between the trees and the riverbank. Birds chirped and smaller animals could be heard shuffling through the underbrush nearby. As the precious sunlight became overrun with grey clouds, I could smell the crisp scent of an incoming storm on the wind.Caliban held the reins with one hand at my right side and I got the sense he was leaning away from me as much as we could. The colder it got the more I wished he against my back completely if only to steal some of his warmth. With the silence between us it became increasingly difficult to think of anything except for him.And food.After an hour of riding in silence the growling of my stomach began to sound like I was smuggling a pack of wild animals. The ache of hunger was an unusual feeling for me especially when it was this strong.The privilege of growing up in a palace as a king's youngest daughter ensured I had food and drink at every whim. My mind went back to picnics in the gardens with