It keeps playing back, uninvited. I remember her breath catching when our foreheads brushed, the way her eyes softened just before I leaned in.It should not have happened. She is a palace guard. I am engaged to someone else.I keep telling myself we were both vulnerable, that it was a mistake made
EmberI get to my office early, earlier than usual. The halls are quiet at this hour, which is exactly what I want. There are no conversations, no glances, and no questions. I do not want to see anyone, especially not him. I do not want to be reminded of what happened last night. I do not want to r
“You hit the same side you injured.”She doesn’t argue. Her skin is pale, and her breathing comes out in shallow gasps. I can see the effort it takes for her to keep herself upright.“I’m taking you to the healer.”She starts to protest again, but it dies out. Her face says it all.EmberThe corrido
KaineI’ve gone through the border reports three times now and still haven’t absorbed a word. My thoughts circle the same two moments. The rogue attack in the forest. and then, just hours later, the Captain creeping toward Ember’s tent with a blade.Two separate events. Two deliberate attacks.The f
I try not to worry as I turn to seek out the healer for a more proper assessment of my injuries. When that’s done, I get to work. I can already feel the shift as word of my command is relayed through the palace. Guards who used to speak freely around me quiet when I enter a room, and whispers trail
EmberI jolt awake before sunrise as memories from the last few days rush back to me. The wound from the rogue aches, but what unsettles me more is the captain’s determination to end my life. It is clear now that the rogue attack had been orchestrated by the captain and when that plan failed, he dec