Oh, what an adventure learning cartography for a fantasy world was.At first, I just knew I wanted the land in my world to be formed in the basic shape of a semicolon to honor those semicolon tattoos that mean the bearer is a survivor of self-harm/anxiety/depression or things of that sort. This was kind of my symbolism for pushing through, not giving up, and valuing perseverance.Aside from that, I had no clue what to do. So I just started googling fantasy maps and how to make them. I somehow stumbled my way upon freefantasymaps.com where there were these mapmaking competition entries. I fell in love with the style of this one map entry I saw there, called The Land of Mórthyr, created by Warren Godone-Maresca. But yeah…when I tried to emulate his technique, let’s just say it didn’t work out so well. But I fiddled around with one version for four hours before thinking I’d just settle for that, even though I wasn’t completely satisfied with it.The dissatisfaction followed me, and bug
Writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.Lives with hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a library assistant. Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor...or Hulk (can't decide). Justice League Team Flash. Arrow Team Stephen Amell. Stranger Things obsessed. Heard Laurel, not Yanny. Started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club. Then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now all over the place with romance reading.Published since 2010. W
One True LoveCopyright © 2018 by Linda KageThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses or establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.All rights reserved. No part of this book—except in the case of brief quotations in reviews—may be used, reproduced, or translated without written permission of the author.Contact Information: linda@lindakage.comPublishing HistoryLinda Kage, June 2018ISBN-13: 978-1370924936Smashwords EditionCreditsCover Artist: Kage CoversEditor: Summer at Red Pen RevolutionProofreader: Shelby at Book Lovers Have More FunProofreader: Shelley at 2 Book Lovers ReviewsProofreader: Judy at Judy’s Proofreading Created with Vellum
Rain hadn’t visited this region in quite some time, proof evident in the brown, wilted cacti and dead flowering plants we passed. Sandy travel dust coated us all, weighing us down with a weary kind of plod that made our journey feel even longer than the three weeks it had taken to reach this point. Even our horses had given up on twitching their tails in an effort to remove flies from their hides.Our path was paved with dry, cracked earth, and what emaciated cattle we saw lay in the shaded nooks of exhausted boulders as they panted with their dehydrated tongues lolling. It made me miss home even more. Nothing could compare to the vast expanse of rolling, green-carpeted hills, turbulent blue seas, succulent fruit trees, and the white-washed cliffs I’d grown up exploring. This dry, barren wasteland did nothing whatsoever to change my mind, either.I couldn’t believe I’d agreed to come to this place with my sister.And stay.Forever.I must’ve lost my damn mind.With a sigh, I capp
“Shh! Don’t stop walking!” Allera backtracked to grab my arm and manually drag me along, earning us another worried glance from the short-banged dignitary. “Do you want them to think we’re having second thoughts about this marriage alliance?”“I don’t give a fuck what they think.” Without lowering my voice, I continued to scowl at her. In front of us, Short Bangs let out a shocked gasp. “And I’m certainly not bound to one of them. You’re quite mistaken.”I snorted and shook my head over the mere idea.Bound to a Donnellean?Bull. Shit.Except a deep fear unfurled inside me. A part of me believed. A person simply couldn’t come from High Cliff and not believe in the signs from their mark, warning them of their mate’s proximity. My one true love must be near. But to me, nothing could be more frightening than becoming bound to anyone from a kingdom I still adamantly thought of as them.The tingling grew worse.I muttered a curse under my breath. Dammit. This couldn’t be happening.
My chest compacted, making breathing impossible, and my mark pulsed uncontrollably, until my vision blurred, which panicked me because I didn’t want to stop looking at her. From what I’d seen, she’d been so pretty, all her thick, blonde hair swept up in a large bun to display the curve of her jaw, her pointed chin, the length of her graceful neck. Her eyes had been dark and soulful and her nose pert and short.And she’d been mine. My one and only. My mate and one true love.I blinked rapidly until, ah…there. She came back into focus. Thank God.My happily ever after rested on the shoulders of this very woman… Who was quite obviously full with another man’s child.At first, I didn’t understand that part. Because, really, what?My one true love was pregnant? That didn’t make sense. I hadn’t even met her yet. I mean, the need for her was strong, but not strong enough to impregnate her from across the room with my desire alone.Or was it?Shit, this was just all wrong.How could sh
“Oh, Vienne.” Princess Nicolette draped herself across the empty seat next to me and sighed wistfully. “Don’t you think Prince Urban is the dreamiest, most handsome man you’ve ever seen?” Tucking her hands beneath her cheek, she batted her lashes my way. “I certainly do.”I furrowed my brow. Personally, I’d been thinking I was going to lose my mind if my back didn’t stop aching. I hadn’t been able to get comfortable in the last three weeks, no matter whether I was standing, sitting, or lying. So, yeah… No. Thinking about the attractiveness of princes from foreign lands hadn’t even registered with me.“Hmm,” I answered, frowning when I messed up a stitch on the booties I was sewing and had to undo it. I shifted in my chair, relieving an ache in my spine only for my side to cramp. Drat. There had to be some comfortable way to arrange myself.Nicolette was still waiting for an answer, so I distractedly said, “Yes, well… He didn’t seem disfigured from what I could tell.”“Disfigured?”
In the Iron Castle, the dining hall’s royal table was shaped like a large L, as if fitting two tables together. The king sat at the head where the corner met, and the parties seated on either side of him angled out so they were nearly facing each other. Yasmin sat directly to Caulder’s right with me at her right and Soren at mine. To the king’s left sat Nicolette, and next to her was where Brentley usually seated himself. Except tonight, Prince Urban sat there instead, nearly directly across from me. Next to him was his sister, and then Brentley had moved himself next to Princess Allera at the end.At Nicolette’s question, the prince of High Cliff looked at her, sending her a confused smile as if amused but puzzled by her query. “My…what mark?” he asked, shaking his head to let her know he didn’t understand.“Yes. This thing right here.” She swept her hand close to his eye where everyone could clearly see the black tattoo of a heart inside a circle.The prince chuckled, the sound pl