The Book Esther Novels & Stories

Esther’s POV The first thing I felt was pain. A dull, heavy ache radiated through my bones, as though I had been struck by the mountain itself. My eyes fluttered open, the dim glow of torchlight blurring into shapes I couldn’t place. The air smelled faintly of herbs and pine resin, a strange mixture that was both soothing and foreign. I was not in the dungeon. Not in the cold stone halls of Nicholas’s palace. Where was I? I tried to sit up, but a sharp protest tore through my ribs, and I sank back against the furs beneath me. That was when I heard a familiar voice.

Esther stood in the doorway. Her hair was curled into large waves that cascaded over her shoulders, making her face look even paler and smaller. When she looked at me, her eyes were filled with provocation and smug satisfaction. "Naomi, it's been a long time." I ignored her and continued organizing the books on the counter. She wasn't bothered. Instead, she wandered around the store. "Naomi, have you really fallen this far? Running a little bookstore like this? How much can you possibly make in a month?"

But indeed, it had been a long time since he had seen Esther again, she was the girl who was once in his arms, softly cooing, smiling easily. He used to love her, really did. But his love just wasn't big enough. He missed her beauty, missed the time they'd spent together. One thing he didn't dare to admit was that out of all the women he'd ever known, Esther was the one he missed the most. Because she was always gentle and enchanting, her childhood beauty was like a pure white jasmine flower. And now, she is much more mature, attractive figure like a beautiful rose, it's just that this rose is now full of thorns that he can't touch.

Esther had meant to drive straight to campus. That was the plan simple, practical, and of course ordinary. But halfway there, a sudden tug in her chest urged her to turn the wheel elsewhere. Home. She couldn’t explain it, only that the thought of changing into fresh clothes and grabbing a few of her books suddenly felt necessary, grounding.

Esther was in her living room, late in the cool evening, and leisurely watching a program with the lights dimmed. Ever since Karen travelled, she found herself having more nights where she lounged alone, chasing some level of entertainment before she bowed out of the fight in retirement to bed.

Though day and night might be a curse, And summer and winter might become a cross, You should know that inside your heart, There is someone out there that will play a part, In your joy, smile, and happiness, So do not make haste to be afraid, Come into our hands and become sane, You will see that at the end of the day you will be okay. Though the song had some unorganized parts in it. It held a lot of essence. Large running footsteps scared the birds away and made her stop singing. “Esther, what are you doing here?” Angela asked, getting on her feet. Esther was a little girl the Queen adopted. She was also to be treated like a princess. Esther was the cutest seven-year-old girl in the world.

I whispered as I rested my back on the bed rest. "I actually encountered, Selena..." She said she needed my help... Esther dropped the book she had been reading and came to sit on the bed by my side. "What did she say to you?" She asked me but I shrugged as the whole experience still felt strange to me. "She said she was sorry... She mentioned Anna and then when I raised my voice, she said she needed my help." Esther's face morphed into a scowl as she turned to stare in my direction like I had suddenly become Selena.

Esther… All I could do was pray to the Moon Goddess that I wouldn’t lose my shit as once again all my dark thoughts came back. Esther was good at pretending to care, playing both sides, and I didn’t know what game she was playing—but I did know that I didn’t want to be any part of it. As the woman reached my desk, she placed her hands on the surface. “Yes, ma’am?”

Eliza cautiously inched away from the two brothers, hoping while she did so that they’d stay consumed with each other and not notice when she ran like the wind to get away from them. She was still confused by the topic of their conversation, but she clearly understood the words ‘killing people’ and ‘us or them’. That was all she needed to hear for panic to flood her body and the need to flee as quickly as possible to become overwhelming.

With the preparations for the festive taking Anna and her staff’s full focus the week before the event, she had little time for distractions. After Fred finished the edits, adding the final chapter to Vashti’s Daughter, which explained in detail the death of Queen Esther, Darius’ efforts to destroy the book and the subsequent cancellation of the marriage, Anna sent the galley to pre- publication.